Japan’s Goi No.1 CCGT starts commercial operations

Japanese joint venture Goi United Generation started commercial operations today of the 780MW No.1 combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) unit, with construction having begun in April 2021.

The joint venture comprises Japan's largest power producer by capacity Jera, the power arm of refiner Eneos and regional utility Kyushu Electric Power with a shareholding ratio of 9:5:1 respectively.

The new 1,650°C-class Goi CCGT unit can achieve around 64pc thermal efficiency on a lower calorific value basis, with the best available thermal technology helping cap carbon dioxide emissions. This is part of the development of the proposed 2,340MW Goi CCGT plant, which is to replace the 1,886MW conventional gas-fired power plant that was decommissioned in March 2018. The 780MW No.2 and No.3 CCGT units are scheduled to begin operations in November and March 2025 respectively.

LNG use at Goi is expected to increase to 2.2mn t/yr from the previous 1.9mn t/yr following the plant's completion, according to the environmental impact assessment for the plant replacement.

By Motoko Hasegawa