GE?s turbine technology selected for E. Kalimantan power plant

US giant GE said on Tuesday that its newest aeroderivative gas turbine technology has been selected for a new, independent power plant (IPP) in East Kalimantan .

GE will supply two 41-megawatt LM6000-PG aeroderivative units to PT Kartanegara Energi Perkasa (KEP), owner of the Senipah Power Plant, located 70 kilometers from Balikpapan . KEP, in turn, is majority-owned by retired general-businessman Luhut Panjaitan.

This will be the first installation of the technology in Asia and the second in the world, following a project at Turlock , Calif. , which recently was commissioned, the company said.

In simple-cycle operation, the Senipah facility will generate 82 megawatts of power, with a plant availability of 85 percent. KEP plans to upgrade the Senipah plant from simple cycle to a combined-cycle operation in the next phase of development, scheduled for 2013, which will enable the facility to deliver even higher power output and efficiency.

GE plans to ship the two LM6000-PG units to the Senipah site in April of 2012, with commercial operation expected by November of 2012. (alex)