Melaka Centre Eyes Global Role In Gas Turbine Talent Development -- Zhang Chaoqun

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (Bernama) - The Gas Turbine Skills Training Centre in Melaka harbours ambitious plans to develop into a leading platform for international gas turbine talent development, technical exchange, and industry cooperation.

The centre is located in the Edra Melaka Power Plant, one of Southeast Asia’s most technologically advanced and well-operated gas-fired power plants.

CGN Energy International Holdings Co Ltd (CGNEI) chairman Zhang Chaoqun said the aim is to create an environment where more skilled professionals could develop their capabilities and where meaningful partnerships could translate into practical outcomes.

“The energy transition presents new challenges for the gas-fired power generation industry, but it also creates new opportunities for international cooperation,” he said at the CGNEI Gas Turbine Power Generation Committee 2026 Work Conference in Melaka today.

Chaoqun said CGNEI was ready to work alongside all its partners, bringing together knowledge through openness, strengthening its collective capabilities through cooperation and embracing the future through innovation.

Over the years, CGNEI has developed extensive experience in gas turbine power generation across Malaysia, South Korea and Bangladesh.

Projects such as Daesan Phase II in South Korea demonstrate the company’s ability to deliver high-quality projects with greater cost efficiency and shorter implementation periods.

“Through these projects, we have established comprehensive capabilities covering the entire project lifecycle -- from investment and development to construction, operations and eventual decommissioning.

“Our operating power plants have demonstrated strong safety performance, tested through practical experience and over time,” he said.

In greenfield project development, CGNEI has developed the capability to manage the entire process, including early-stage development, design, procurement, construction and commissioning.

Chaoqun said the plant’s capabilities should serve as a foundation for meaningful cooperation.

“It is this accumulated experience and expertise that gives us the confidence to bring partners together, establish collaborative platforms and explore new opportunities for shared development,” he said.

Cooperation is also vital to “share our outlook for the gas turbine industry”, as the global energy transition enters a more advanced stage, he said. 

He cited how wind and solar power are integrated into electricity systems on a larger scale; power grids increasingly require generation sources that are flexible, responsive and reliable. 

Gas-fired power generation has an important and, in many circumstances, irreplaceable role in meeting these requirements, he said. 

At the same time, he said the rapid development of artificial intelligence and the digital economy is driving substantial investment in data centres. 

“With its ability to provide stable, relatively lower-emission and dispatchable electricity generation, gas turbine technology is becoming an increasingly important source of power for the growing computing industry,” he said. 

No single company can achieve sustainable growth or realise the industry's full potential on its own.

CGNEI therefore hopes to work with its partners through two important platforms.

The first is the Melaka training centre, which could be a shared platform for talent development, supporting the continuous training and development of skilled professionals for the wider gas turbine industry.

“The second is the gas turbine power generation committee, which we intend to develop as an open platform bringing together companies throughout the gas turbine supply chain, particularly from China, Malaysia and the wider East and Southeast Asian regions,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA