Mitsubishi Power Selected to Supply Second Advanced Class Gas Turbine to Oklahoma’s Grand River Energy Center

• First M501JAC gas turbine to operate in simple cycle in the U.S.
  • Signing ceremony held October 2 in Chouteau, OK
  • Second project awarded to Mitsubishi Power by the Grand River Dam Authority in last 10 years

LAKE MARY, Fla., (October 3, 2023) – Mitsubishi Power and the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA), Oklahoma’s largest public utility, have formally signed an agreement to provide a second advanced class gas turbine to the Grand River Energy Center in Chouteau, OK. It will be the first M501JAC gas turbine to operate in simple cycle in the U.S., providing operational flexibility and fast start-up times to meet the needs of GRDA’s evolving electricity grid. Unit 4 replaces the last remaining coal-fired unit at the Grand River Energy Center. It represents a market shift towards using advanced-class gas turbines for peaking applications.

This is the second project the GRDA has awarded to Mitsubishi Power for its Grand River Energy Center in the last 10 years and builds on the long-term relationship between the two companies. The first-ever J-series advanced gas turbine to operate in the U.S. is located at the Center’s Unit 3 project, a 500-megawatt (MW) gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power station that began operations in 2017, setting a new standard for efficiency and reliability.

The signing ceremony for Unit 4 was held October 2, 2023, at the Energy Center where it was also announced that construction on the project is slated to begin in January 2024, with the unit expected to be operational by April 2026. Both agreements also include the performance of long-term service and maintenance, replacement parts supply, and remote monitoring of the units.

The M501JAC enhanced air-cooled gas turbine for Unit 4 will replace the Energy Center’s Unit 2, a 492-megawatt coal-fired generator that came online in 1985. Retiring these aging and less efficient coal-fired plants and replacing them with cleaner natural gas-fired units will result in emissions reduction and help to meet efficiency goals, providing a long-term resource for affordable and reliable power. The Unit 4 gas turbine is also hydrogen-capable and can be adapted in the future to operate on a blend or 100% hydrogen.

Bill Newsom, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas, said, “By replacing its coal-fired units with our advanced J-Class gas turbines, including Unit 4’s hydrogen-capable turbine, GRDA is demonstrating its continuing commitment to cleaner, more flexible and reliable energy production. Our long-term relationship with GRDA was born out of mutual trust and confidence cultivated over nearly a decade. We look forward to continuing our commitment to providing high-quality technology and services to the GRDA.”

"We are excited about this historic investment to enhance our generation portfolio at GRDA.” Said Dan Sullivan, CEO, GRDA. “Our long, proven history with Mitsubishi Power, and the strong partnership we have built over the past decade, allows us to invest in world-class power generation and help GRDA continue to meet the growing demands of providing affordable and reliable energy to our customers."

Grand River Dam Authority, Mitsubishi Power, and Oklahoma Secretary of State Josh Cockroft at the signing ceremony held at the Grand River Energy Center in Chouteau, OK. Pictured from left to right: Robert Ladd, VP of Generation, GRDA; Erik Feighner, Chief Financial Officer, GRDA; Dwayne Elam, GRDA Board Member; Dan Sullivan, President and CEO GRDA; John Wiscaver, EVP Strategic Communications, GRDA; Josh Cockroft, Oklahoma Secretary of State; Bill Newsom, President and CEO Mitsubishi Power Americas; Mark Bissonnette, EVP and COO, Power Generation, Mitsubishi Power Americas; Prasanth Thupili, SVP, Power Generation Services, Mitsubishi Power Americas (Credit: Grand River Dam Authority)

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About Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.

Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc. (Mitsubishi Power) headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida, employs more than 2,700 power generation, energy storage, and digital solutions experts and professionals. Our employees are focused on empowering customers to affordably and reliably combat climate change while also advancing human prosperity throughout North, Central, and South America. Mitsubishi Power’s power generation solutions include gas, steam, and aero-derivative turbines; power trains and power islands; geothermal systems; PV solar project development; environmental controls; and services. Energy storage solutions include green hydrogen, battery energy storage systems, and services. Mitsubishi Power also offers intelligent solutions that use artificial intelligence to enable autonomous operation of power plants. Mitsubishi Power is a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI). Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, MHI is one of the world’s leading heavy machinery manufacturers with engineering and manufacturing businesses spanning energy, infrastructure, transport, aerospace, and defense. For more information, visit the Mitsubishi Power Americas website and follow us on LinkedIn.