Gas turbine developments |
Success for M701JAC in Bahrain, Thailand and Morocco
Mitsubishi Power reports successful completion, a month ahead of schedule, of the Power Station 5 Block 4 gas turbine combined cycle power plant at Aluminium Bahrain BSC (Alba). The power plant employs a hydrogen-ready Mitsubishi M701JAC gas turbine plus Mitsubishi supplied steam turbine.
The power plant was developed by Mitsubishi Power in consortium with SEPCOIII with the aim of expanding Alba’s captive power generation capacity in line with its growth and sustainability objectives, and to help accelerate the sustainable economic development of Bahrain. With a combined cycle output of 680.9 MW, the Mitsubishi Power M701JAC gas turbine represents the first deployment of JAC technology in a Middle Eastern aluminium smelter, contributing to Alba’s decarbonisation goals while ensuring energy security for its operations. Mitsubishi Power will continue to support Alba post installation via a long-term service agreement (LTSA), focused on achieving high availability, reliability, and performance of the gas turbine and ensuring that Alba can maintain uninterrupted and efficient power generation, critical for sustaining its aluminium production.
Hin Kong project completed Mitsubishi has also announced the successful, on-schedule completion of the EPC contract for an M701JAC based 1400 MW natural gas fired combined cycle power plant in Thailand, about 100 km west of Bangkok. The milestone was marked by the entry into commercial operation of the second M701JAC gas turbine at the plant. The plant is owned by Hin Kong Power Company Limited, a joint venture company established by RATCH Group Public Company Limited and Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited.
The first unit began
commercial operation in March 2024, with the second following in January 2025.
Mitsubishi Power will also provide long-term maintenance for the turbines, under a 25-year long term service agreement, with the power plant supplying power to EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand) under a long-term power purchase agreement. There are now ten M701JAC gas turbines operating in Thailand.
Recently, Mitsubishi Power completed the landmark Gulf Energy Development/Mitsui
5300 MW combined cycle power plant project in Thailand’s Rayong and Chonburi provinces, which featured a total of eight M701JAC gas turbines.
Open cycle in Morocco The M701JAC gas turbine has also found favour in Morocco, with two of the machines to be supplied to the Al Wahda open cycle gas turbine power plant owned and operated by the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE).
The Al Wahda power plant, located near Al Wahda dam in the province of Ouazzane in the north of Morocco, will play a crucial role in stabilising the Moroccan national grid. The peaker will integrate with the country’s growing renewable energy resources, providing rapid response to grid fluctuations and helping to ensure continuous, reliable power supply. The plant’s two gas turbines will generate a combined 990 MW, representing nearly 7% of Morocco’s national grid capacity.
Rayong combined cycle power plant. (Photo: Mitsubishi Power)
22 | April 2025|
www.modernpowersystems.com
The Al Wahda turbine supply agreement was signed in Rabat at ONEE’s headquarters, in the presence of ONEE CEO Tarik Hamane and a delegation from Mitsubishi Power including the company’s EMEA president and CEO Javier Cavada and Mitsubishi MENA president Khalid Salem, alongside a delegation from the project’s consortium partner, China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited (CEEC).
Hin Kong combined cycle power plant. (Photo: Mitsubishi Power)
Mitsubishi Power’s M701JAC gas turbines, which are capable of co-firing hydrogen with natural gas, will “support Morocco’s long-term sustainability objectives by offering flexibility for future decarbonisation.”
In addition, the Al Wahda power plant will play a pivotal role in stabilising Morocco’s national grid as the country continues to increase its share of renewable energy year by year. The plant is designed to operate with maximum availability, providing continuous power output to meet the country’s growing energy demands and contributing to goal of reaching more than 52% renewable power in the electricity mix by 2030. Mitsubishi Power’s advanced gas turbines, which can handle rapid load variations and frequent start-ups and shutdowns, will “ensure grid reliability without compromising the integrity of the equipment,” the company says. This capability is vital as Morocco eyes additional integration for more intermittent renewable energy sources into its energy mix, further supporting the country’s long-term energy strategy and sustainability goals. The Al Wahda power plant is expected to begin operation in 2027.
In addition, Mitsubishi Power signed a long- term service agreement with ONEE for the provision of parts, repairs and services, to ensure high availability and sustained reliability of the equipment.
Globally, orders for Mitsubishi Power’s JAC gas turbine passed 100 units in 2024. It has a combined cycle efficiency greater than 64%, while its operational flexibility, including short startup times and superior load-following capability, make it suitable for balancing power demand in grids increasingly reliant on renewable energy sources.
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