GE Energy and MHI to Co-Develop “Next Generation” Steam Turbine

GE Energy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) last week agreed to co-develop a “next generation” steam turbine for use in gas turbine combined-cycle power plants. If successful, the parties will separately manufacture and sell the co-developed steam turbine. 

GE Energy and MHI first announced a memorandum of understanding for combined-cycle steam turbine co-development in January. Both companies view the development of the advanced turbine “as a key step in meeting customer requirements for increased combined-cycle efficiency and performance worldwide,” they said in a joint statement last week. 

The new steam turbine will enter commercial service coupled with the GE Frame FB and the MHI G-class gas turbine products in the 50-Hz segment of the global power generation market. These gas turbine models are typically used for combined-cycle power plants in the range of 850 MW to 1,000 MW. A tentative date for the release of the proposed turbine has not been released.

Much of the current demand for steam turbines is driven by the strong global interest in natural gas–fired, combined-cycle power generation. Steam turbines remain a backbone of the power generation industry, playing a part in generating more than 80% of the world’s electricity. 

Sources: GE Energy, MHI