Tampa Electric starts upgraded Big Bend units in Florida

• 2 years ago (2022-04-11)
• David Flin

Gas 371 North America 998

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GE and Tampa Electric Company (TECO) have announced the start of commercial operation for TECO’s Big Bend Units 5 and 6 at Apollo Beach, Florida, USA. The units are now powered by two 7HA.02 gas turbines and two H65 generators. The gas turbines can burn between 15-20 per cent hydrogen by volume in the gas stream initially, and has the capability to transition to 100 per cent over the next decade.

The 1090 MW power plant will replace existing 50-year-old units at the site. Switching to natural gas will help reduce the station’s CO2 emissions per MWh of electricity produced by 67 per cent.

Big Bends new units will initially operate in simple cycle mode. Combined cycle operation is scheduled for late 2022. When operating in combined cycle mode, the power plant efficiency will be over 60 per cent, compared with the mid-30 per cent achieved with previous operations. The plant will also have increased operational flexibility.

Eric Gray, President of GE Gas Power in the Americas region, said: “Coal-to-gas switching by retiring existing coal-fired capacity and replacing it with new, high efficiency combined cycle capacity offers good potential to combat climate change. This project will increase operational efficiency and help TECO by using less water, producing less wastewater, and reducing carbon emissions.”