IndustryAtlas

SUPPLY CHAIN HANDBOOK

Thermal power and grids: fuel, generation and electricity delivery

Prepared by IndustryAtlasEditorial principles & corrections

Separate coal and gas fuel paths, then examine boilers, steam turbines, gas turbines, engineering and environmental services. Generation, transmission and consumption are distinct stages; fuel suppliers are not necessarily plant operators.

Most recent source review:

Reading guide revised:

Do coal and gas plants share an equipment chain with only the fuel changed?

Both turn heat into electricity, but fuel logistics and conversion equipment differ. Coal boilers produce steam. A combined-cycle gas plant first generates power with a gas turbine, then recovers exhaust heat for a steam cycle. Imported LNG adds liquefaction, cryogenic transport and regasification. After construction, fuel, environmental consumables and maintenance remain recurring inputs. Substations and grids then deliver output to users. Separating construction from ongoing operation makes supplier roles clearer.

  1. Coal or gas supply → Plant-ready fuel

    Coal requires unloading, storage and internal handling. Gas arrives by pipeline or through an LNG chain with unloading, storage and regasification. These fuel-delivery systems are distinct.

  2. Heat and generating equipment → Electrical output

    Coal boilers feed steam turbines. Combined-cycle plants pair gas turbines with heat-recovery steam generators and steam turbines, using exhaust heat in a second generating stage.

  3. Plants and supporting services → Grids and users

    Cooling, pumps, controls and environmental systems sustain plant operation. Transformers, switchgear and protection connect generation to the grid, whose transmission and dispatch functions complete delivery.

What changes the choice?

Identify coal, simple-cycle or combined-cycle architecture before comparing equipment. A gas turbine, heat-recovery boiler and steam turbine appear together according to plant configuration, not simply the label thermal power.

Sources for this overview

Thermal power supply chain

Thermal power supply chain

Coal and gas; fuel and equipment streams

Coal and gas each require ongoing fuel supply, alongside equipment, construction and maintenance for power plant operations.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

This map focuses on coal and gas combined-cycle plants. Oil-fired plants, cogeneration and other heat sources are outside its detailed scope.

Thermal coal supplyCoal logistics and handlingCoal boilers and steam systemsGas production and gatheringLNG liquefaction and exportLNG shippingLNG terminals and regasificationGas turbines and generatorsHeat recovery steam generatorsSteam turbine generationThermal plant EPCCoal plant operationsGas combined-cycle operationsEmissions and water treatmentCoal ash and gypsum managementThermal plant maintenanceCooling, auxiliaries and controls

Distinction: Fuel is only one part of the chain. Boilers, turbines, generators, controls and engineering have separate suppliers.

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Coal power supply chain

Thermal coal supply

Mining, processing, trading and export

Thermal coal suppliers provide fuel selected for plant requirements, including heating value, ash and sulfur characteristics.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Glencore is a documented producer and marketer. Company domicile, mine location and buyer are distinct facts.

Distinction: Thermal coal and metallurgical coal serve different markets.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Glencore · Switzerland · Example role · Thermal coal production and marketing

    Thermal coal mining and marketing activities.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Coal logistics and handling

Bulk transport, storage and pulverizing

Coal reaches plants through transport and handling systems. Storage and conveyors feed the boiler; pulverized-coal systems also need milling.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-04

Role in the supply chain

Shipping, terminals and in-plant handling can involve different contractors and equipment suppliers.

Distinction: Fuel preparation differs between pulverized-coal and fluidized-bed boilers.

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Coal boilers and steam systems

Combustion and high-pressure steam

Boilers transfer combustion heat to the working fluid, supplying steam for turbine-driven generation.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Mitsubishi Power and Doosan Enerbility offer power boilers, with specifications matched to pressure, temperature and fuel.

Distinction: A boiler is not a generator; it works with turbines, generators and auxiliary systems.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Mitsubishi Power · Japan · Example role · Power generation boilers

    Power boiler products within the MHI group.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Doosan Enerbility · South Korea · Example role · Boiler manufacturing

    Power boilers and related equipment.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Coal plant operations

Coal heat and the steam cycle

Coal plants combine ongoing coal supply with boilers, steam-turbine generators and environmental systems to generate electricity.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Taipower Linkou is a Taiwan coal-generation example, separate from equipment suppliers and CTCI engineering.

Distinction: Pollution-control equipment does not eliminate carbon dioxide or every emission.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Taipower · Taiwan · Example role · Coal plant operator

    Owner and operating role at Linkou coal plant.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Gas and LNG power supply chain

Gas production and gathering

Fields, treatment and pipeline supply

Produced gas is treated and gathered, then supplied to liquefaction plants or directly through connected pipeline networks.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-04

Role in the supply chain

A direct pipeline route is retained so that not every gas power plant is depicted as dependent on imported LNG.

Distinction: LNG is a transport form. Gas producers, liquefaction exporters and terminal operators can be different companies.

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LNG liquefaction and export

Treatment, liquefaction and loading

Gas is treated and cooled into liquid for overseas transport, then stored and loaded onto specialized carriers.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Cheniere is an example of a US LNG liquefaction and export supplier.

Distinction: LNG is not LPG; their composition and supply chains differ.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Cheniere Energy · United States · Example role · LNG liquefaction and export

    Gas liquefaction, storage and export loading.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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LNG shipping

Cryogenic carriers and ship management

Specialized LNG carriers move liquefied gas from export facilities to receiving terminals under cryogenic conditions.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-04

Role in the supply chain

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines publishes LNG vessel ownership, management and operating activities.

Distinction: A carrier is not a gas producer. Shipping capacity alone does not establish the complete fuel supply.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) · Japan · Example role · LNG shipping

    LNG vessel ownership, management and operations.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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LNG terminals and regasification

Unloading, tanks, vaporizers and pipelines

Receiving terminals unload and store LNG, then regasify it for pipeline delivery to power plants and other users.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

CPC Taiwan documents receiving, vaporization and transmission activities, including Yongan, as an example of Taiwan supply infrastructure.

Distinction: Receiving throughput, tank storage, vaporization and pipeline capacity are different measures.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • CPC Corporation, Taiwan · Taiwan · Example role · Receiving, vaporization and transmission

    Published Taiwan LNG receiving and gas transmission activities.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Gas combined-cycle operations

Gas generation with a steam bottoming cycle

A gas turbine generates power first; its exhaust feeds an HRSG, and the resulting steam drives further generation.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Taipower and independent producers participate in gas generation. Sun Ba phase 2 is a documented combined-cycle case; Tung Hsiao phase 2 is identified as an EPC project.

Distinction: Combined cycle means two linked thermodynamic cycles, not two fuels or zero emissions.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Taipower · Taiwan · Example role · Gas plant owner

    Tung Hsiao combined-cycle projects; the 2025 contract does not mean the new units are operating.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Sun Ba Power · Taiwan · Example role · Combined-cycle plant

    Published Sun Ba phase 2 combined-cycle reference.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Combined-cycle equipment

Gas turbines and generators

Combustion, shaft power and generation

Gas combustion drives the turbine and generator. Hot exhaust can feed the heat-recovery section of a combined-cycle plant.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

GE Vernova, Siemens Energy and Mitsubishi Power are documented equipment-supply examples.

Distinction: Gas and steam turbines differ. Simple-cycle plants do not need a complete steam bottoming cycle.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • GE Vernova · United States · Example role · Gas generation equipment

    Gas-turbine or combined-cycle equipment offerings.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Siemens Energy · Germany · Example role · Gas generation equipment

    Gas-turbine or combined-cycle equipment offerings.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Mitsubishi Power · Japan · Example role · Gas generation equipment

    Gas-turbine or combined-cycle equipment offerings.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Heat recovery steam generators

Exhaust heat recovery and steam production

An HRSG recovers gas-turbine exhaust heat to produce steam for the bottoming cycle of a combined-cycle plant.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

GE Vernova lists HRSGs alongside gas turbines, steam turbines and control systems in its plant offerings.

Distinction: An HRSG differs from a coal-fired boiler. Supplementary firing is design-dependent.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • GE Vernova · United States · Example role · Heat recovery steam generators

    HRSG equipment in integrated plant offerings.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Thermal equipment and engineering

Steam turbine generation

Steam expansion and shaft-driven generation

High-pressure steam expands through a turbine, driving a generator to produce electricity.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Coal plants and gas combined-cycle plants both use steam turbines, but steam sources, ratings and design conditions differ.

Distinction: A shared equipment name does not imply interchangeable specifications or nuclear qualification.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Doosan Enerbility · South Korea · Example role · Steam turbines and generators

    Equipment for thermal and combined-cycle plants.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • GE Vernova · United States · Example role · Steam generation equipment

    Steam turbines, generators and plant configurations.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Thermal plant EPC

Engineering, procurement and construction

EPC contractors integrate major equipment, civil works, piping, electrical systems and commissioning into a deliverable plant.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

CTCI has a Linkou coal plant reference and a Tung Hsiao phase 2 contract with Mitsubishi. A contract does not mean the plant is already operating.

Distinction: EPC contractors and turbine OEMs have distinct, project-specific scopes.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • CTCI · Taiwan · Example role · Power plant EPC

    Linkou coal reference and Tung Hsiao combined-cycle contract; distinguish project milestones.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Cooling, auxiliaries and controls

Condensers, heat exchangers, pumps and I&C

Cooling, feedwater, piping, pumps, valves and instrumentation keep the overall plant cycle operating alongside the main machines.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Doosan publishes heat-exchange and I&C offerings; Siemens Energy projects also include condensers and auxiliary equipment.

Distinction: Cooling towers are not universal; cooling methods depend on plant and site design.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Doosan Enerbility · South Korea · Example role · Balance of plant and I&C

    Heat exchange, condensing and instrumentation equipment.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Thermal lifecycle services

Emissions and water treatment

SCR, dust control, FGD and monitoring

Plant-specific systems treat flue gas and water, monitor emissions and require catalysts, chemicals and maintenance.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Coal plants commonly need NOx, particulate and sulfur controls. Gas-plant treatment depends on its combustion and plant design.

Distinction: Limestone and seawater desulfurization have different outputs. Conventional pollution control is not carbon capture.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Mitsubishi Power · Japan · Example role · Air quality controls

    NOx, particulate and sulfur control systems.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Coal ash and gypsum management

Testing, reuse or disposal

Coal ash and gypsum from suitable desulfurization processes enter qualified reuse or disposal routes.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Taipower documents byproduct reuse in cement and building materials. Suitability must be assessed for each material and use.

Distinction: Gas plants do not have the same coal-ash stream, and not every desulfurization process produces gypsum.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Taipower · Taiwan · Example role · Byproduct management

    Coal ash and gypsum reuse information; listed as producer and manager.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Thermal plant maintenance

Overhauls, parts and long-term service

Overhauls, replacement parts, monitoring and controls support long-term operation after the initial construction phase.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role in the supply chain

Siemens Energy publishes gas equipment and long-term service contracts. Initial supply and ongoing maintenance are separate activities.

Distinction: Maintenance demand also depends on the installed fleet, operating patterns and service contracts.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Siemens Energy · Germany · Example role · Equipment and long-term service

    Published long-term gas plant service contracts.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

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Generation, grids and users

Substation equipment

Voltage conversion, protection and connection

Transformers, switchgear and protection systems enable power plants to connect through substations to the grid.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-07

Role in the supply chain

TECO has a Zhong Neng onshore substation EPC reference. Hitachi Energy offers substation equipment and integration.

Distinction: Equipment suppliers provide products or engineering; this is distinct from electricity supply.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • TECO · Taiwan · Example role · Onshore substation engineering

    Zhong Neng onshore substation design, equipment, installation and testing.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Hitachi Energy · Switzerland (Hitachi group, Japan) · Example role · Substation equipment and integration

    Transformers, switchgear, protection and grid connection.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Fortune Electric · Taiwan · Example role · Solar transformers

    Solar distribution transformers and PV BOX integration.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-07

Sources

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Power grids and dispatch

Transmission, distribution and balancing

Power networks transmit and distribute electricity from different sources to users while coordinating system operation.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-07

Role in the supply chain

Wind, coal and gas generation share grid-delivery functions. These links do not identify a specific customer contract.

Substation equipmentWind farm operationsCoal plant operationsGas combined-cycle operations

Distinction: Generation, grid delivery and electricity retail are different roles. Links do not trace individual units of electricity.

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Electricity users

Factories, data centers and households

Delivered electricity serves industry, commerce and homes, including data centers and electric-vehicle charging.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-07

Role in the supply chain

End-use demand connects to generation, grid and equipment investment. Supply arrangements vary by location and contract.

Distinction: End-use demand does not establish orders for any particular equipment supplier.

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Long-form guides (Chinese)

火力發電產業鏈：燃煤、天然氣與 LNG 的燃料和設備分工

分清燃煤與天然氣發電的燃料供應、鍋爐、燃氣渦輪、HRSG、汽輪機、工程統包、環保及維修，納入台灣中油、中鼎與台電角色。

運輸供應鏈：風力葉片、核燃料與晶片，如何送到下一家公司？

從貨代、港站與倉儲，到海運五大貨型、風電重件、核燃料容器及半導體跨廠物流，分清設備、承運與專業交付角色。

風力發電產業鏈：陸域、固定式離岸與浮動式離岸如何分工？

從葉片材料、鑄件、風機整合，到陸域基礎、水下基礎、浮台、海纜與維運，整理全球及台灣風電供應鏈。