Doosan invests CZK 3 billion in Pilsen, plans to produce new generators

South Korea's Doosan, one of the world's largest manufacturers of steam turbines for power plants, is investing CZK 3 billion in its subsidiary Doosan Škoda Power in Plzeň. The company plans to move production of air-cooled steam turbine generators for supply to power plants and small modular reactors (SMRs) to Plzeň this year, while also building a hydrogen combustion turbine centre in Europe. The company's representatives told reporters at a press conference in Prague yesterday.

The South Korean firm will transfer air-cooled generator technology with a capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MWe) applicable to the main steam turbine model under a subsidiary. It also plans to support the production of steam turbines for SMRs and 100 MWe gas turbines, which is currently under development in Pilsen. The Plzeň company should also participate in the development of turbines with a transition to hydrogen combustion.

"We have decided to transfer to the Czech Republic the technology for the production of air-cooled steam turbine generators for supply to power plants and small modular reactors so that the Czech industry can make a significant contribution to Doosan Group's projects on global markets. At the same time, we plan to build a hydrogen combustion turbine centre in Europe in Plzeň, which will bring more jobs and put the Czech Republic on the map of the few manufacturers in the world," said Son Sung-U, CEO of Doosan's parent Power Service Business Group.

Doosan won't skimp on investment or support, according to company officials. The company has not yet agreed on how much further investment will be made in the Czech Republic. "We want the Czech and Korean industries to be able to grow together in the future and mutually benefit from each other's competitiveness and expertise, which we will jointly apply not only to deliveries in the Czech Republic but also in the global market," the company said.

Doosan Plzeň, whose turbines operate in 63 countries, supplies up to 90 percent of its products abroad. In 2023, its sales were CZK 4.8 billion, up about 35 percent year-on-year, according to chief executive Daniel Procházka. Worldwide, Doosan's sales reached about $15 billion (344 billion crowns) last year.

Doosan Škoda Power said that in the previous two years it had supplied up to 90 percent of its new turbochargers abroad, to dozens of countries around the world. This year, for example, the company announced that it will deliver a 15 MWe turbocharger for a municipal waste incinerator in Florida, USA. Another two turbine sets worth more than CZK 3 billion will be delivered to a Polish heating plant in Plock.

Source: Doosan and CTK
Photo: Doosan