March 28 (Reuters) - GE Vernova ( GEV ) has secured an

order to supply its aeroderivative gas turbines for Springfield

City Utilities' (CU) new power generating station in Missouri,

the power equipment maker said on Friday.

CU's 100 Megawatt (MW) McCartney Generating Station is

expected to start operations in 2027. GE Vernova ( GEV ) did not

disclose the deal value or the expected delivery date of the

turbines.

CONTEXT

Energy-intensive data centers needed to scale artificial

intelligence technologies are expected to push up demand for gas

turbines used for large-scale power generation.

Aeroderivative gas turbines, adapted from General Electric's ( GE )

aviation technology, can be used to provide about 50 MW

of power in a fuel-efficient manner, as per GE Vernova's ( GEV )

website.

WHY ITS IMPORTANT

Rising electricity needs, aging power plants and severe

weather are necessitating higher Planning Reserve Margin (PRM).

PRM is the extra capacity needed beyond the expected demand

to keep the power supply stable during times of peak usage or

unexpected outages.

The three aeroderivative units are expected to inject an

additional 150 MW of reliable and flexible capacity to help

ensure grid stability, Vernova said.

These turbines can burn up to 100% hydrogen by volume,

thereby reducing carbon emissions, the company said.

KEY QUOTE

"With increasing power generation demand driven by growing

electrification needs and more renewables coming online every

day, operators and municipalities ... need to ensure grid

reliability with high efficiency," said CEO of GE Vernova's ( GEV ) Gas

Power Americas region, Dave Ross.