KEPCO Achieves Localization of Gas Turbine Starting Device... Commercial Operation from March

First Domestic Production of 10MW-Class Gas Turbine Starting Device

A scene controlling the gas turbine starting device. (Photo by Korea Electric Power Corporation)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chae-seok] Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) announced that it has succeeded in domesticating the startup device, a core component of gas turbines, and began commercial operation this month. Until now, it had relied on foreign products.

On the 23rd, KEPCO announced that it had domestically developed a 10MW-class gas turbine startup device in collaboration with four power generation subsidiaries, including Korea Midland Power Co., Ltd. Doosan Heavy Industries also participated in the manufacturing.

The gas turbine startup device helps the turbine reach a certain rotational speed initially. In gas turbine power generation, which generates electricity by rotating the turbine with kinetic energy produced by burning gas and using the connected generator, the role of the startup device is crucial.

Until now, overseas companies such as General Electric (GE), ABB, and TMEIC have monopolized production. Domestic power companies had no choice but to rely entirely on imports.

KEPCO secured patents for core technologies such as the speed control algorithm of the rotating body and then designed the startup device. Doosan Heavy Industries manufactured the startup device based on KEPCO's basic design.

The startup device, which completed performance tests using a simulation test facility, was installed in January at Korea Midland Power's Boryeong Combined Cycle Power Plant and tested for two months. As a result, it met the startup time required by the Korea Power Exchange and began commercial operation this month.

The startup time refers to the time taken from when a gas turbine power plant receives a power demand reduction request (dispatch order) from the Korea Power Exchange to when the generator starts and supplies electricity to the power system.

KEPCO stated that thanks to this domestication, it can respond more quickly to maintenance requests from power companies than overseas manufacturers. It also enables system improvements tailored to the domestic power generation environment.

Currently, there are 26 startup devices operated by five domestic power companies, and KEPCO plans to replace five units of aging equipment with domestically developed technology by 2025.

KEPCO estimates that the domestic market size for gas turbine startup devices will reach 10 billion KRW annually. As the utilization rate of coal-fired power decreases and the proportion of gas power generation increases, the demand for gas turbine startup devices is also rising.

Fine dust emissions such as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides from gas turbine power generation are only about 10-12% of those from coal-fired power generation.

The global market size is expected to grow from $5.8 billion in 2018 to $8.8 billion in 2026, with an annual growth rate of 6%.

A KEPCO Electric Power Research Institute official said, "Gas turbines are a future core technology included in the 16 key energy technologies of the 4th Energy Technology Development Plan announced by the government last December," adding, "Based on the successful demonstration results of the gas turbine startup device, KEPCO will actively promote exports as well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.