BANGKOK, Thailand, Sep 21, 2000 (PRNewswire) — In support of Asia's continuing economic and residential growth, GE Power Systems is supplying power generation equipment and services for projects across the continent that will add nearly 1,200 megawatts of electricity.

Contracts announced by GE at Power-Gen Asia 2000, a leading energy industry conference being held this week in Bangkok, total approximately US$250 million and include eight power plants in four countries:

— Taiwan: A 670-megawatt power plant to be developed by Chiahui Power Corp. in Taiwan will feature three GE F-technology gas turbine-generators, which will be shipped in the first quarter of 2002 . Commercial operation of the natural gas-fired facility is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2003, and the power will be sold to the Taiwan Power Corp. GE Power Systems also is supplying advisory services and training for the project.

— Thailand: GE Energy Services, the services arm of GE Power Systems, has secured long-term service agreements for four cogeneration plants in Thailand. The agreements cover long-term maintenance, parts, technology upgrades and performance monitoring and optimization software. Included are two facilities operated by the Cogeneration Public Company and the MTP Cogeneration Company of Rayong, Thailand; and two plants in the Bangkok region operated by Samutprakarn Cogeneration Co. Ltd. and Nong Khae Cogeneration Company Ltd. of Bangkok.

— People's Republic of China: GE will supply two gas turbines and technical advisory services to two local suppliers in Shenzhen, China to help resolve the immediate power shortage in southeast Guangdong Province. The GE gas turbines will be installed at the Shenzhen Nanshan Power Station Co. Ltd. and the Shenzhen Mawan Power Co. Ltd. Yueliangway Power Plant. Both companies are subsidiaries of the Shenzhen Energy Group Co., Ltd. The GE agreements were secured through the Shanghai Zhongji Energy Engineering Co., Ltd. and both projects are scheduled for completion in 2001.

— Sri Lanka: GE will supply a gas turbine-generator and auxiliary equipment to the Marubeni Power Systems Corporation of Japan, for a new combined-cycle power plant in Kelanitissa, Sri Lanka. The new plant will be owned by the Ceylon Electricity Board of Sri Lanka and will be built by a consortium including Marubeni and Alstom Power Centrales of France.

"We are very pleased that our gas turbine technology, proven in millions of hours of service around the world, has been selected for these important projects in Asia," said Robert L. Nardelli, president and chief executive officer of GE Power Systems. "In addition, our long-term service contracts are designed to help plant operators improve the overall performance and profitability of their plants over the life of the agreements."

These are the latest in a continuing series of power plant projects in Asia supported by GE technology and services, dating back nearly a century. To date, nearly 1,500 GE-technology gas and steam turbines have been installed or ordered for projects in the Asia-Pacific region, producing more than 136,000 megawatts of power.

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