Mitsubishi Power steam turbine components for Philippines geothermal plant

Makban Geothermal Power Station[/caption]

Mitsubishi Power, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has received an order for the facility upgrading of the Makban Geothermal Power Plant in Laguna, Philippines. Adopting the latest geothermal steam supply available at the power station, Mitsubishi Power will supply a new set of steam turbine components with optimum design for Unit No. 1, one of ten geothermal power generating units supplied by Mitsubishi Power over the years, in order to optimize its performance and minimize geothermal steam consumption per power output. The project is scheduled for completion in 2021.

The Makban Geothermal Power Plant is located southeast of the capital city of Manila and is owned and operated by AP Renewables Inc. (APRI), a prominent renewable energy developer in the Philippines. Mitsubishi Power delivered the first geothermal power generating unit in 1979 with nine other units progressively installed over the next two decades until 1996.

For this renovation project, Mitsubishi Power’s Nagasaki Works will supply the newly designed steam turbine components, while Mitsubishi Power’s local subsidiary MHI Power (Philippines) Plant Services Corporation, the contracting arm of Mitsubishi Power (Philippines) Inc. for its after-sales service business, will provide on-site installation services. Mitsubishi Power’s superior steam turbine technology enabling high performance upgrades while ensuring full compatibility with existing facilities, has been rated by APRI and resulted in this order.

In geothermal power generation, hot water produced by magma deep below the earth's surface is extracted as steam, which is used to drive a turbine. Of the various forms of renewable energy that emit negligible carbon dioxide during power generation, geothermal power can be produced stably, 24 hours a day, and is virtually unaffected by weather or other factors. For this reason, geothermal power is a clean form of energy that is expected to see expanded application in countries and regions abundant in geothermal resources. However, facilities and equipment may need to be improved or repaired to adapt to changes in the natural environment over the medium to long term, as is being done in this project.