Mobile gas turbines can provide an interim generation option while a data center develops its permanent power supply. A useful offer must connect the identified package to the site's operating requirement, fuel and electrical interfaces, approval path and commissioning plan. Compare the complete bridge period, including what happens when permanent power arrives.
A trailer can arrive before a project is ready to receive electricity. Procurement needs to distinguish those milestones. The buyer is purchasing a period of usable power, with an operating team and an eventual transition, rather than transportation alone.
Start with SecondWatt's gas turbine catalogue, then turn the project requirement into a package-specific enquiry.
Key Takeaways
- Define the required power, operating period and conditions for ending the bridge.
- Separate mobile package specifications from the complete site's operating capability.
- Put fuel, approvals, electrical equipment and commissioning on the same schedule.
- Request condition, performance and operating-support evidence for the identified unit.
- Compare acquisition, operating and exit responsibilities before choosing an offer.
Define the bridge at the point where power is needed#
Write the requirement at a named electrical boundary. State whether the power must be available at the generator terminals, the medium-voltage bus or another agreed delivery point. Include the loads between that boundary and the generating package. Otherwise, respondents can offer different meanings of available power while appearing to answer the same request.
Describe the operating period through a start condition, a planning duration and an exit condition. The exit might be an accepted utility connection or a commissioned permanent plant. A forecast date alone is a weak basis for a return obligation when another party controls the milestone.
Bridge-power requirement sheet#
| Requirement | What the buyer should specify |
|---|---|
| Delivery boundary | Named bus or meter and included auxiliary loads |
| Operating demand | Initial load, later phases and representative load profile |
| Continuity requirement | Required behavior during a unit outage or maintenance |
| Electrical arrangement | Frequency, voltage and islanded or parallel operation |
| Fuel basis | Available fuels and the supply conditions to be confirmed |
| Bridge period | Start milestone, expected duration and extension mechanism |
| Exit condition | Evidence that permanent power is ready to assume the load |
An installation supplying an isolated bus has a different control problem from one operating alongside an established grid. Tell respondents which transitions must be supported: initial energization, generator loss, load additions, utility return and planned shutdown. The equipment schedule should reflect those functions.
Connect the requirement to the existing power procurement and interconnection roadmap. The turbine enquiry should use the same project milestones as the transformer, switchgear and permanent-power workstreams. Maintain one agreed demand schedule so later revisions reach every supplier.
Identify the exact mobile package and its boundaries#
A mobile turbine family name does not establish combustion configuration, fuel equipment, controls or performance. Obtain the offered package's designation and supporting documents before comparing it with a current OEM reference.
GE Vernova's current TM2500 product table illustrates the need to preserve the reference basis.
Named OEM reference values, not an offered-unit guarantee#
| Reference | Published field | Published value | Stated boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TM2500 DLE, selected 50 Hz table | Net electrical output | 34.5 MW | ISO conditions, natural gas; inlet and exhaust losses included, balance of plant excluded |
| TM2500 SAC, selected 50 Hz table | Net electrical output | 34.6 MW | Same published reference boundary |
| TM2500 DLE, selected 50 Hz table | Net efficiency, LHV | 39.5% | Manufacturer reference conditions |
| TM2500 SAC, selected 50 Hz table | Net efficiency, LHV | 34.8% | Manufacturer reference conditions |
These figures describe the named references. An older unit, a different frequency or a modified package needs its own evidence. Similar output at one reference condition also does not establish equivalent fuel consumption or site infrastructure.
Mitsubishi's FT8 MOBILEPAC documentation also shows why deployment and infrastructure claims need their package conditions.
FT8 MOBILEPAC reference fields and deployment qualification#
| Published item | Reference statement |
|---|---|
| Major-component packaging | Two trailers |
| NOx control | Water injection |
| Rapid generation claim | Within one day from arrival for pre-commissioned, site-ready equipment |
That deployment qualification belongs beside any schedule claim used in a purchasing decision. Confirm the offered package's requirements and the actual site's preparation.
Review the FT8 MOBILEPAC dossier for the family context, then ask the respondent to identify the supplied version. MOBILEPAC and SWIFTPAC are distinct package descriptions; do not accept a specification from one as automatic evidence for the other.
Ask for a complete equipment schedule covering the turbine, generator, control equipment, fuel systems, starting system, inlet, exhaust, fire protection and included auxiliaries. Record which components travel with the main package and which require separate supply.
Build the schedule around the last ready dependency#
Obtain dates with defined completion evidence. Equipment availability, dispatch, arrival, mechanical completion, initial energization and accepted operation are separate milestones. A quotation that states only a delivery week leaves most of the operating schedule unresolved.
Illustrative schedule with parallel preparation#
| Dependency | Assumed completion | Evidence needed |
|---|---|---|
| Package delivered and ready for installation | Week 4 | Identified equipment and receiving acceptance |
| Fuel interface ready | Week 8 | Agreed supply conditions and completed interface work |
| Electrical connection ready | Week 10 | Required equipment, installation and applicable tests |
| Required project approvals available | Week 12 | Confirmation covering the intended installation and operation |
| Final installation, integration and commissioning | 3 additional weeks | Agreed sequence and successful acceptance |
This is a scheduling illustration, not an observed lead-time estimate. It assumes the four preparation activities can proceed in parallel and that the final work begins after all four are complete. Under those assumptions, the earliest completion is the maximum of weeks 4, 8, 10 and 12, plus 3 weeks: week 15.
15 weeks — the illustrative completion point when a week-12 prerequisite is followed by three weeks of final integration and commissioning.
An earlier package arrival would not change that result. An earlier approval would help only until another dependency became the latest. Use this logic to identify what an expedited equipment purchase actually advances.
Mark each milestone as documented, supplier-estimated or dependent on unresolved project work. Assign an owner and the evidence needed to close it. The schedule becomes more useful when the team can see which date has a committed scope behind it and which date is still a planning assumption.
Maintain that record after ordering. A changed fuel requirement, protection design or emissions-control arrangement can alter equipment interfaces and commissioning work. Send the approved change to every affected party and request its schedule consequence. A supplier's original delivery promise cannot account for a later scope change it has not received.
For a US installation, use the EPA's Clean Air Act resources for data centers as an entry point for the relevant air-program review. Provide the reviewing specialist with the actual package, fuel, controls, site and proposed operation. Transportability alone does not answer that project review.
The turbine emissions and permitting guide identifies the equipment information that belongs in that discussion. Procurement should carry the specialist's resolved conditions into the equipment scope and schedule.
Match the package to the operating pattern#
Request site performance across the expected demand profile. The minimum stable operating point, fuel use, emissions-control operating envelope and auxiliary demand can matter as much as the maximum output. Establish which values are guaranteed for the offered configuration and which remain preliminary engineering estimates.
A phased data center can spend a substantial part of its bridge period below its eventual demand. Ask how the proposed units will be dispatched during each phase and what equipment remains available for maintenance. The part-load performance guide provides the detailed comparison framework.
Operating cases to include in the enquiry#
| Case | Response to request |
|---|---|
| First operating phase | Stable dispatch arrangement and site-net output |
| Later load increase | Permitted load additions and required control changes |
| Planned maintenance | Available capacity and operating restrictions |
| Generator trip | Load response, protection action and recovery plan |
| Loss of external power | Starting and auxiliary-power arrangements |
| Permanent-power transition | Synchronization or transfer method and acceptance sequence |
For an islanded installation, define the auxiliary power needed before the turbine can start. Include fuel-system, control, ventilation and other required services within the review. The black-start guide separates starting capability from the ability to accept the intended load.
Also ask what happens when the preferred fuel is unavailable. A dual-fuel label needs supporting equipment, an operating procedure and performance information for the alternate case. Keep the commodity supply, transportation and connection arrangements visible in the project plan. A liquid-fuel option is useful only within its documented package and site conditions.
Require evidence for the unit and the operating service#
Separate equipment acceptance from ongoing service performance. Before shipment, the buyer needs evidence of identity, configuration, condition and completed work. During operation, the buyer needs an agreed basis for performance, staffing, maintenance and responding to failures.
Request maintenance records tied to the supplied turbine and generator. Include storage and preservation history, inspection findings, replaced components and unresolved exceptions. The remaining-life and overhaul guide explains why a service description needs a documented scope.
For thermal performance, ASME's public PTC 22 scope describes “thermal performance tests for open cycle gas turbine power plants.” Agree the applicable test method, measurement boundary, reference conditions and treatment of uncertainty with the relevant technical parties.
ASME's PTC 46 overview separately discusses overall-plant performance and excludes reliability tests from its explicit procedures and acceptance criteria. A thermal test result therefore needs its own scope; the operating-service agreement must define any availability commitment separately.
Evidence and responsibility schedule#
| Item | Required record or assignment |
|---|---|
| Equipment identity | Package and major-component identification |
| Condition | Inspection, maintenance and preservation evidence |
| Performance | Test scope, operating basis and exception list |
| Operations | Staffing, training and operating responsibility |
| Maintenance | Planned work, access, parts and outage coordination |
| Fault response | Reporting path, response obligations and restoration process |
| Acceptance | Witnessing, records, remedies and sign-off responsibility |
Clarify who carries the operating obligation if the equipment supplier, installer and service provider are different companies. A warranty can cover a defined remedy without promising uninterrupted generation. Ask for the actual terms rather than translating a warranty period into an availability claim.
Review the maintenance plan against the entire possible bridge period, including an extension. Identify work expected during that period, equipment access and the capacity available while it is performed. A package that meets the initial operating phase may need a different service arrangement once the facility's load increases. Carry that later phase into the original enquiry.
Compare the entire bridge period and its exit#
Compare offers against the same operating period and scope. Separate equipment acquisition or rental, mobilization, site works, installation, operating labor, maintenance, fuel, consumables, demobilization and restoration. Identify items whose cost changes if the permanent-power date moves.
For rented equipment, record the minimum term, extension process, notice requirement and return condition. Ask when charges start and stop. Arrival, commissioning and accepted operation may be different events, and the payment schedule should name the event it uses.
For purchased equipment, treat eventual resale as a separate uncertain outcome. A purchase case that depends on a future sale needs a stated assumption and evidence when available. SecondWatt does not establish a future clearing price merely because comparable equipment has been advertised.
Exit questions to resolve before committing#
| Question | Commercial consequence |
|---|---|
| What ends the bridge? | Defines the release milestone |
| What if permanent power is late? | Determines extension and continued support needs |
| What condition is required at return or resale? | Determines inspections and restoration work |
| Who disconnects and preserves the package? | Assigns demobilization responsibility |
| What site equipment remains useful? | Separates reusable infrastructure from temporary scope |
| Who handles transport and delivery risk? | Defines the agreed handover boundary |
The ICC's Incoterms 2020 guidance provides a framework for allocating delivery-related responsibilities in a goods transaction. Name the selected rule and location where appropriate, and separately document installation, operation, rental return and service obligations.
Use the used-turbine relocation guide to plan removal, preservation and recommissioning work. The exit deserves an equipment schedule of its own.
Request a mobile turbine against a complete brief#
Send the same requirement sheet to every respondent and require an explicit deviations list. Give alternatives room to compete by defining the required outcome, while keeping the evidence standard consistent.
Mobile turbine sourcing brief#
| Field | Information to provide |
|---|---|
| Power and duty | Required site-net output and phased operating profile |
| Electrical system | Frequency, voltage, delivery boundary and operating mode |
| Fuel | Available fuel and confirmed supply-interface information |
| Site readiness | Status of approvals, civil works and electrical equipment |
| Timing | Required operating milestone, planning duration and exit condition |
| Equipment condition | Acceptable condition and required inspection evidence |
| Commercial scope | Purchase or rental options, service needs and delivery boundary |
Attach the current one-line and relevant site interface documents when they are available for controlled review. Ask respondents to identify missing information that prevents a firm performance or schedule commitment.
SecondWatt acts as an independent intermediary connecting equipment buyers and sellers. To request mobile turbine sourcing, share the required output, frequency, duty, fuel, destination region and target operating date. Include the intended bridge period and the responsibilities you want covered.
FAQ: Mobile gas turbine bridge power#
Does mobile mean the turbine can operate immediately after delivery?#
It describes the package's transport and deployment arrangement. Operation still depends on the supplied configuration and a prepared receiving site. Obtain the conditions behind any installation claim and identify the fuel, electrical, approval and commissioning tasks that must be complete. Put the accepted-operation milestone in the schedule separately from arrival.
Is a current TM2500 specification valid for every used TM2500?#
No. Verify the actual version, combustion system, frequency and modifications against unit-specific documents. Current OEM reference figures help frame an enquiry but do not establish an older package's performance. Request the offered unit's site-performance basis, auxiliary boundary and condition evidence before using its output in the project capacity plan.
Can a mobile turbine replace the data center's UPS?#
That cannot be concluded from turbine output or mobility. The electrical design must address interruptions, starting, load acceptance and fault response across the complete system. Define what the critical load must experience during each event and identify which equipment supplies that function. Retain the required continuity arrangement in the procurement scope.
Should bridge power be rented or purchased?#
Compare both against the same duration, operating scope and exit obligations. Rental terms can make extensions or return condition important; ownership adds maintenance and eventual disposition responsibilities. Include those differences explicitly. Any assumed resale value should remain identified as an assumption unless supported by appropriate evidence.
What happens if permanent power arrives later than planned?#
The contract and operating plan should define how the bridge is extended. Address notice, pricing, maintenance, fuel arrangements and equipment availability for the additional period. Review the extension mechanism before committing, particularly where the equipment may otherwise be promised elsewhere. A planning date is different from a confirmed release milestone.
What makes a mobile turbine enquiry actionable?#
Provide a named power-delivery boundary, phased load profile, electrical arrangement, fuel information and required operating date. State the intended duration, readiness status and service responsibilities. Request an identified package with a deviations list. These inputs let respondents explain what fits, what remains dependent on site work and what their offer actually includes.