GE turbine supplying emergency power in Ukraine

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided the government of Ukraine with a GE TM2500 mobile gas turbine. (Image: GE).

A GE TM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine has been shipped to Ukraine to help support emergency power needs in the country.

The portable turbine was purchased by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States government’s humanitarian and foreign aid agency, to help Ukraine restore power where it’s needed most.

“GE is uniquely positioned to be able to support Ukraine in their infrastructure rebuilding efforts, and our mobile aero technology has a proven track record for emergency power response situations due to its mobility, reliability, and flexibility,” said Aman Joshi, the general manager of GE’s aeroderivatives business at GE Gas Power, which is part of GE Vernova. The arrangement with USAID, he adds, “is really symbolic of the kind of support GE can provide to countries that are in need of urgent power infrastructure.”

The mobile power plant was manufactured in the United States by GE’s Gas Power business and has a total output capacity of approximately 28 MW, which is enough to provide the equivalent electricity to at least 100 000 homes. This will help Ukraine increase the supply of electricity to homes, hospitals, schools, critical infrastructure providers, and other institutions. The mobile power plant can be operated in different cities or regions depending on need, strengthening Ukraine’s energy security amid the Russian Federation’s continuing strikes against critical infrastructure.

The turbine can be trucked to a location and attached to a damaged power plant, or hooked directly into the electrical grid, within a few weeks. Once in place, it can power up and shut down in just five minutes, providing emergency responsiveness and reducing fuel waste. And where fuel is limited, the TM2500 offers a range of possibilities: It can run on natural gas or diesel, as well as sustainable aviation fuel blends. In addition, the TM2500 is hydrogen capable, with the ability to burn up to an 85% H2 blend, ensuring a pathway to help utilities and other stakeholders to reduce their carbon emissions.

Since the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and particularly since October 2022, the Russian Federation has deliberately targeted critical civilian heating, power, and gas infrastructure in an effort to weaponize the winter. Ukraine has demonstrated tremendous resilience in the wake of these attacks, with utility workers routinely risking their lives to repair the damage, often within hours of air strikes.

The collaboration between USAID and GE reflects the U.S. government’s emphasis on engaging American private sector expertise and procuring proven and reliable equipment to meet Ukraine’s needs. Since the start of Putin’s full-scale war against Ukraine, USAID has both directly procured equipment for Ukraine from American companies and engaged the private sector in partnerships to meet Ukraine’s urgent wartime needs.

USAID has already delivered more than 1700 generators to 22 oblasts across Ukraine, with more on the way. These generators ensure electricity and heating for schools, hospitals, accommodation centers for internally-displaced persons, district heating companies, and water systems if and when power is knocked out by the Russian Federation’s relentless, systematic and cruel attacks against critical civil infrastructure. USAID has invested $55 million in Ukraine’s heating infrastructure to help the Ukrainian people get through winter. This support will benefit up to seven million Ukrainians by supporting repairs and maintenance of pipes and other equipment necessary to deliver heating to homes, hospitals, schools, and businesses across Ukraine. USAID’s assistance builds on over two decades of support to Ukraine to strengthen the country’s energy security.