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Doosan's sale of gas turbines to U.S. sign of Korea's engineering competitiveness

Published: 13 Oct. 2025, 18:34

Park Gee-won, chairman of Doosan Enerbility, oversees a full-load performance test of a large gas turbine at the company’s headquarters in Changwon, South Gyeongsang in March 2024. [DOOSAN ENERBILITY]

Doosan Enerbility is set to export Korea’s first domestically developed gas turbines to the United States, a milestone that signals the company’s entry into one of the world’s most advanced power markets and showcases Korea's growing technological competitiveness.

The company announced Monday that it signed a contract to supply two 380-megawatt gas turbines to a U.S. tech firm by the end of next year. While the client’s name and the total value of the deal remain undisclosed at the request of the buyer, the contract marks the first export of a commercialized Korean gas turbine.

Doosan Enerbility first succeeded in localizing large-scale power generation turbines in 2019 through a partnership with domestic academia and research institutions.

Korea became the fifth country to develop its own gas turbine technology after the U.S., Germany, Japan and Italy. The company proved the turbine’s performance in a 15,000-hour demonstration at the Gimpo combined heat and power plant, and has since secured eight supply deals, mostly with Korean power companies.

A gas turbine generates electricity by compressing air, mixing it with fuel, combusting it and converting the high-temperature, high-pressure gas into mechanical energy through rotating blades.

A generator attached to the turbine completes the process. Due to the complex engineering involved, gas turbines are often called the pinnacle of mechanical technology. Doosan invested 1 trillion won ($700 million) in R&D to secure the technology, led by Chairman Park Gee-won.

Rising global demand for data centers, fueled by AI and cloud computing, is increasing the need for reliable power infrastructure. Many data centers now seek independent power generation, and gas turbines are gaining attention for their rapid construction, high efficiency and supply stability.

A 380-megawatt gas turbine developed and manufactured by Doosan Enerbility [DOOSAN ENERBILITY]

S & P Global Commodity Insights projects that global installed gas power capacity will grow from 2,067 gigawatts in 2022 to 2,712 gigawatts by 2040.

The gas turbine market has long been dominated by three players: GE of the United States, Siemens of Germany and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems of Japan. But with demand growing, Doosan Enerbility is finding space to compete.

“Doosan Enerbility is leveraging both competitive pricing and customer-friendly service to win new clients,” an industry official said.

Maintenance and support services also play a critical role in turbine operations.

Doosan Enerbility plans to strengthen its U.S. presence through Doosan Turbomachinery Services (DTS), a Houston-based subsidiary specializing in turbine maintenance. The company said DTS will handle service for the new U.S. turbines.

“This contract is a meaningful turning point as Korea evolves from a turbine importer to an exporter,” said Sohn Seung-woo, CEO of Doosan Enerbility's Power Service Business Group. “We will strictly meet quality and delivery expectations to earn client trust and continue expanding in overseas markets like the United States.”

Following the announcement, Doosan Enerbility shares rose 4.16 percent to 77,600 won, closing at a new 52-week high after reaching 78,500 won during intraday trading.

The company has been on a winning streak this year. In June, Doosan Enerbility and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, as part of the “Team Korea” consortium, won a bid to build Units 5 and 6 at the Dukovany nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic. Doosan Enerbility estimated the value of its portion of the deal at 3.8 trillion won, though analysts say that figure could rise due to raw material price increases.

The photo shows the Doosan booth World Climate Industry EXPO. [YONHAP]

“Momentum from the Czech nuclear project and the gas turbine deal will likely concentrate in the fourth quarter,” said Choi Gyu-heon, an analyst at Shinhan Investment. “After APEC, we may see more concrete developments in Team Korea’s push into the U.S. nuclear market.”

Doosan Enerbility is also actively pursuing partnerships in the small modular reactor (SMR) sector, working with global companies including X-energy, NuScale Power and TerraPower.

“Doosan Enerbility’s key partners are steadily signing agreements related to SMR construction,” said Jung Hye-jung, an analyst at KB Securities. “Orders for SMR and nuclear power equipment appear to be imminent.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI SUN-EUL [[email protected]]