GE highlights 50-MW power project in Thaketa Township

General Electric has highlighted a blueprint project in Myanmar that is being developed by MAXpower (Thaketa) Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Navigat Group, as it announced a US$ 1.4 billion investment over four years to help meet the world’s growing demand for on-site power systems. 

“As demonstrated by our major gas engine agreements with Navigat Group, we intend to be the distributed power technology supplier of choice throughout Southeast Asia and around the world as economic and environmental priorities drive the demand for on-site energy solutions,” Lorraine Bolsinger, president and chief executive officer of US-based GE Power & Water’s Distributed Power business, said on Tuesday.

On February 7 this year, Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise, Myanmar’s state-owned electricity firm, executed a power purchase agreement for the construction and operation of a 50-megawatt (MW), gas-fired power plant in Thaketa Township,Yangon. 

The 50-MW plant will be powered by 16 of GE’s high-efficiency gas engines. 

“We are excited to support the launch of GE’s new Distributed Power business, building on years of collaboration on important gas engine projects to support Southeast Asia’s growing demand for cost-effective and envirmentially friendlier natural gas, biogas and other alternative energy solutions,” said Willi Goldschmidt, chief executive officer of Navigat Group, adding that GE and Navigat have delivered about 1,000 MW of distributed power capacity to the region. 

Southeast Asia is an important growth area for GE as more countries in the region encourage the use of more efficient utility, municipal and industrial on-site power systems that are easier to finance, install and are more efficient and reliable than larger, centralized power plants. 

GE’s distributed power product portfolio includes Jenbacher and Waukesha gas engines, aeroderivative gas turbines and Clean Cycle waste heat recovery solutions with an output range of 100 kilowatts to 100 MW. 

According to the International Energy Agency’s report entitled, “Southeast Asia Energy Outlook”issued on October last year, the region’s energy demand will increase by more than 80 per cent by 2035.

Currently the region’s per-capita energy use is still very low, because 134 million people, or more than one-fifth of the population, still lack access to electricity, the report says.