POSCO Energy began operating a highly efficient and environmentally friendly “off-gas combined cycle power plant” in Pohang on Wednesday, company officials said.
The station in North Gyeongsang Province has a capacity of 145 megawatts and is the first to produce power through mixed combustion of off-gases such as blast-furnace gas, FINEX off gas and coke-oven gas.
Unlike steam power plants, the gas turbine and steam turbine in this station are connected together, helping to reduce costs. They are built especially to be environment-friendly with the inclusion of pollutant-reduction devices, the officials said.
“I am proud that, through the effort of our hardworking employees, we were able to start operations two months ahead of schedule and hope to soon complete the second combined-cycle power station, with safety always being top priority,” POSCO Energy CEO Oh Chang-kwan said.
The second station ― with a combined capacity to power about 420,000 homes ― is expected to begin operation in February 2014, according to the company.
