GE Vernova says that commercial operations have begun at PetroVietnam Power’s (PV Power) 1.6GW Nhon Trach 3&4 Power Plant in Vietnam.
According to GE Vernova, this project is Vietnam’s first facility to use its high-efficiency, air-cooled (HA) gas turbine technology and the first to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel source.
Located in Ong Keo Industrial Park, Dai Phuoc commune, around 70km south-east of Ho Chi Minh City, the power plant was constructed by Samsung C&T and Lilama.
The Nhon Trach 3&4 facility is expected to address increasing electricity demand in southern Vietnam, including in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province.
Its operation aligns with an amended version of Vietnam’s National Power Development Plan VIII, known as Adjusted PDP8, which forecasts that LNG will form a significant portion of the country’s energy mix by 2030.
GE Vernova gas power business Asia-Pacific region president and CEO Ramesh Singaram said: “This first of its kind project is expected to bring electricity for large industrial areas in the southern region including Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province while opening up a new chapter for gas power generation in Vietnam.
“We are proud to execute the first HA project in the country, in alignment with its national energy goals for a more sustainable national economic growth.”
GE Vernova supplied two blocks for the project, each with more than 800MW of capacity.
Each block includes a 9HA.02 gas turbine, an STF-D650 steam turbine, a W88 generator and a Once Through Heat Recovery Steam Generator designed to enhance efficiency in advanced water-steam cycles.
Additionally, the integrated Mark VIe Distributed Control System from GE Vernova is expected to support PV Power in managing asset reliability and operational efficiency while reducing costs.
GE Vernova said that its technology enables gas-fired plants to generate electricity with lower carbon emissions compared to coal-fired facilities of similar output.
The Nhon Trach 3&4 project involved a shift from coal to gas, aiming to support grid stability and facilitate greater integration of renewable energy sources.
Equipment for this project was partly manufactured domestically at GE Vernova’s facilities in Phu My and Dung Quat.
A PV Power representative said: “GE Vernova’s advanced 9HA.02 gas turbine is central to our commitment to modern energy standards. It enables the plant to achieve greater than 63% combined cycle efficiency, ranking it among the world’s most efficient facilities.”
GE Vernova currently supports up to 30% of Vietnam’s electricity supply through its technologies and maintains more than 1,100 employees across 13 nationwide locations.
