GE Prepares Two Sprint Turbines for Russia's Gas-Rich Sakhalin Island

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In recent years, the combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on Russia's far-eastern Sakhalin Island, was a major source of pollution, with coal ash clouds covering the small city at the center of the gas-rich region. The plant was then given access to its own gas supply by Gazprom (OTC:OGZPY) (Moscow, Russia), enabling a plan to convert to gas fired turbines into place.

General Electric (NYSE:GE) (GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut) has announced that two of its aeroderivative gas turbines have been commissioned at the plant, making the fifth generating block at the site. The GE LM6000-PF Sprint gas turbines are at the heart of the $100 million project, which was funded by OAO RAO Energy System of East. The turbines meet all requirements, including one of the lowest emission levels in their class.

Before the commissioning of the fifth block, Sakhalin lacked the necessary reserve capacity, and shortages occurred when some generators were switched off. The new generators will provide the required power of 109 megawatts (MW). The new units also will allow for the phasing out of obsolete generators at the plant, where 12 MW will be decommissioned this year.

Sergei Tolstoguzov, the general director of the energy system, said that the new generating unit would improve the reliability of power supply to Sakhalin residents; ensure the load distribution for quality scheduling of maintenance; and create conditions for the connection of new consumers.

In addition to participating in the construction of the fifth generating block, the OAO RAO energy system, a shareholder in OAO Sakhalin Energy Company, took part in the construction of the fourth generating block at Yuzhno Sakhalinsk CHP, where GE's LM6000-PF Sprint gas turbines also will be used. Planned capacity is 139.1 MW, and thermal capacity is 133.5 gigacalories per hour. Following the launch of the fourth unit, reserve capacity will reach 164 MW.

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