Cogeneration, or combined heat and power (CHP), produces electricity and steam from a single fuel source to boost energy efficiency. The SKMU plant was built on a site of about 39,000 square meters and includes one gas turbine, one steam turbine and one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG).
The 300-MW facility can supply 2,412,000 megawatt-hours of electricity and 1.82 million tons of steam a year, SKMU said. The electricity output is enough for about 670,000 four-person households for a year, roughly comparable to the number of households in Daejeon (690,000). The steam output is intended to support petrochemical processes at the Ulsan Mipo National Industrial Complex.
The plant uses two fuels, LNG and LPG, and SKMU said it has built a low-carbon energy system that reduces environmental burdens compared with coal-based facilities.
SKMU said the new facility uses a dual-fuel system that can switch between LNG and LPG depending on seasonal and market price swings and supply conditions, allowing more stable and predictable energy costs for customers. If LNG prices surge, the gas turbine can run on LPG, and it can switch back to LNG when LPG supply is tight.
SKMU said it expects to supply electricity and steam to existing customers including SK Chemicals, Toray Advanced Materials and KET, as well as other companies in the Ulsan Mipo National Industrial Complex. The company said it aims to improve production stability and cost efficiency for local businesses by ensuring reliable power and steam.
"As economic slowdowns and uncertainty increase across industries, cutting power costs such as electricity is an important factor in improving manufacturing efficiency and cost competitiveness," SKMU CEO Kim Nam Gyu said. He said the company will use the dual-fuel system, strategic fuel operations and continued efficiency upgrades to build a sustainable energy ecosystem in the industrial complex.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.