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| September 8, 2004 No.1014 | ||
| MHI Wins Order for 400 MW Combined-cycle Power Plant For New Zealand State-owned Power Provider |
| Tokyo, September 8, 2004 - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), in a consortium with Downer Engineering Power Limited of New Zealand, has received a full-turnkey order from Genesis Power Limited, a state-owned electricity company in that country, to build a 400 MW (megawatt) gas turbine combined-cycle (GTCC) power plant at the company's Huntly Power Station. Downer Engineering Power is a subsidiary of Downer EDI Limited, a leading engineering, infrastructure and resource services company based in Australia. The deal marks the first GTCC order won by MHI from New Zealand. |
A full-turnkey contract covers all construction work en bloc, including civil engineering, equipment supply and installation. The plant is turned over to the client ready for operation at the turn of a key. In addition to plant construction, MHI also signed a long-term service agreement under which it will undertake maintenance and repair work during a specified period of time after the plant goes on-stream. The contract will bring benefit to the customer by enabling long-term, stable power generation. The newly ordered natural gas GTCC plant, targeted for start-up by the end of 2006, is to consist of one M701F gas turbine, one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), one steam turbine and one generator. The gas turbine will be manufactured at MHI's Takasago Machinery Works and the steam turbine at its Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works; the generator will be made by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. Downer Engineering Power will take charge of civil work, equipment installation, and manufacturing and procurement of the HRSG and other peripheral equipment. Mitsubishi Corporation, a trading company, will also participate in the project. The Huntly Power Station, New Zealand's largest thermal power plant, is located approximately 100 kilometers south of Auckland, the country's largest city. The station already has four power units in operation, each generating 250 MW (total capacity: 1,000 MW). All units are capable of burning coal, natural gas, or a combination of the two. The new GTCC plant will be built next to the existing facilities. The electricity generated will be supplied to Auckland, the center of New Zealand's industrial operations, to support the area's robust economic activities. Currently, roughly two-thirds of New Zealand's power demand is met through hydroelectric generation. The country, blessed with numerous inland lakes and canyons, has a natural environment well suited to hydro generation. Also, hydro generation has greatly contributed to the natural conservation of the country as a clean energy source. Today, however, New Zealand is pressed to depart from heavy dependence on hydroelectricity and diversify its energy sources, in order to secure stable power supplies in times when rainfall is insufficient or when lakes freeze over in winter. Against this backdrop, New Zealand has opted for GTCC power generation using the country's natural gas reserves. GTCC plants deliver higher power-generating efficiency than either coal-fired or non-combined-cycle gas-fired power plants, and they are more environmentally friendly due to their cleaner flue-gas emissions. With GTCC type power generation, gas and steam turbines are used in combination to generate electricity in two stages. In the first stage, a gas turbine generates electricity; in the second stage, high-temperature exhausts from the gas turbine drive the steam turbine, again producing electricity. This dual configuration enables GTCC power plants to achieve thermal efficiency above 50%. Higher thermal efficiency means that GTCC plants require less fuel relative to electricity output and emit less CO2. In addition, by using natural gas for fuel, GTCC power plants are able to suppress emissions of NOx (nitrogen oxides) and SOx (sulfur oxides) to levels significantly lower than coal-fired plants. In this way, MHI's technology and services will satisfy the needs of New Zealand to achieve simultaneous pursuit of diversification of energy sources and environmental preservation. To date, MHI has delivered three geothermal power plants and one coal-fired power plant to New Zealand, with total power output of 360 MW. On the strength of the new order, MHI will further increase its GTCC power plant marketing activity in the country. # # #
About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global heavy machinery manufacturers, with consolidated sales of 2,593 billion yen (US$21.6 billion) in fiscal 2002 (year ended March 31, 2003). MHI's diverse lineup of products and services encompasses shipbuilding, steel structures, power plants, chemical plants, steel plants, environmental equipment, industrial and general machinery, aircraft, space rocketry and air-conditioning systems. For more information, please visit the MHI website (http://www.mhi.co.jp). PRESS CONTACT: Hideo Ikuno: h.ikuno@daiya-pr.co.jp Tel: +813-6716-5277, Fax: +813-6716-5929 Daiya PR (in charge of public relations for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.) |
