A record installation for GE

GE Gas Power said it completed a 250 MG temporary reserve plant for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy in 26 weeks--a record for the company.

The temporary reserve power plant at GE’s Manufacturing Center in Birr is powered by eight of GE’s trailer-mounted TM2500 mobile aeroderivative gas turbines, and is designed to help meet power demand, help prevent power shortages and enhance the critical reliability of the country’s energy supply.

GE announced the completion of the installation of 8 TM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines for the temporary reserve power plant in Switzerland, to add up to 250 MW when needed. (Image: GE)

“After the connection to the power grid was completed at the end of February 2023, the tests for commissioning have also been completed successfully and the power plant is able to supply electricity,” said Christian Verhoeven, Chief Technology Officer - Switzerland, GE Gas Power. “If required, the power plant will provide a source of emergency power for the electricity grid, and one whose emission levels can be reduced using blends of hydrogen fuel in the future.

“The scope and nature of this project are extraordinary: GE built not just the power plant but also supporting infrastructure and orchestrating the work of more than 200 people. On the peak in January, we had approximately 500 people working on this project, that was executed safely and in record time.”

GE said it worked closely with SFOE to raise the current generation capacity during energy-demanding winter seasons.

The temporary reserve power plant installed in Birr has dual-fuel capability for both gaseous and liquid fuels. GE’s TM2500 gas turbines can run on several different fuel sources, depending on the combustion system configuration, including hydrogen, biogas or biodiesel and synthetic fuels/SAF (sustainable air fuels) produced with renewable energy. The TM2500 is capable of burning up to 85% hydrogen by volume of hydrogen when blended with natural gas and GE is working to expand this capability in the future to further lower carbon emissions from operations for the TM2500 fleet.

The 34 MW units were engineered for flexibility and quick dispatch, the company said. These units can reach full power in 5 minutes and have a smaller footprint for sites where space is limited.  With more than 20 years of experience and over 300 units installed around the world, GE said the TM2500 is a proven solution for providing a baseload bridge to permanent power installations, or for generating emergency power in the wake of natural disasters, plant shutdowns, grid instability or in isolated locations.

GE Gas Power’s European Headquarters is located in Baden, and GE’s Manufacturing Center in Birr, inaugurated in 1960, provides maintenance, testing, and repair solutions globally.