China’s gas turbine makers are moving to make a global splash. Is Malaysia the first stop?

In the latest milestone for China’s heavy-duty gas turbine manufacturers, Shanghai Electric has secured a turnkey contract to supply equipment to a power plant in Malaysia, giving it a foothold in a market dominated by established foreign suppliers amid a global supply crunch.

The state-owned conglomerate, based in Shanghai, hailed the deal reached earlier this month as evidence of the competitiveness of its integrated solutions and its capacity to design and manufacture crucial components independently.

Shanghai Electric, a power generation and electrical equipment maker, will supply gas turbines to the Samalaju Combined Cycle Power Plant in the Malaysian state of Sarawak – a major infrastructure project developed by state utility Sarawak Energy Berhad to support rising regional demand.

The tailor-made package included gas turbines, steam turbines, generators, heat recovery steam generators and air-cooling systems, according to Shanghai Electric, which added that it would also provide a 25-year maintenance service for the main equipment.