Donated American gas turbine power plant now operational in Ukraine amid blackout threats

The state NPP operator Energoatom has launched the gas turbine mobile power plant donated by the United States in test mode, reported the company's press service.

It was tested on Wednesday at one of the critical infrastructure facilities where it is installed.

The power plant, manufactured in the United States by General Electric, was brought to Ukraine back in February. The belated launch is attributed by Energoatom to delayed arrival of necessary components.

After receiving the power plant in February, the company's press service claimed that it would be put into operation "in the near future." Then, according to the president of Energoatom Petro Kotin, the company was instructed to connect it before the start of the cold season.

"Despite the delay in the arrival of the equipment, this task will be completed, the system is already working in test mode and will be connected to the network on October 10-12, 2023," the Energoatom press service quotes Kotin as saying.

The installed capacity of the mobile power plant is 28 MW. Thanks to this facility, there is an opportunity to localize energy production in the region, and this should strengthen the Ukrainian grid.

In late December 2022, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced Ukraine had begun deploying a network of gas turbine and engine mini-power plants for quick-start electricity production, though at higher costs. The mobile units can launch within three minutes to temporarily boost power where needed.

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is moving towards de-centralization in the energy sector.

On January 31, 2023, the first gas engine mini power plant in Ukraine was opened in Kyiv's suburb of Irpin.