Ansaldo Energia Sets Birr Test Facility into Reserve Operation for Swiss Grid

In an effort to support Switzerland’s electricity security, Ansaldo Energia’s Birr test facility will operate as a strategic reserve power source during critical, high-demand winter periods. The facility, powered by a GT26 gas turbine, will enter reserve operation in February 2027 with a 250-MW power output.

“Enabling the Birr test facility to provide reserve power capacity is a concrete response to Switzerland’s energy security needs,” said Reto Furrer, Executive Vice President of Thermal Service, Ansaldo Energia. “Leveraging our expertise and GT26 technology, we are offering an immediate and dependable solution to ensure continuity until new reserve plants come online. This is a tangible example of Ansaldo Energia’s commitment to sustainable and secure energy solutions.”

The additional reserve capacity will safeguard Switzerland’s power supply until new dedicated reserve plants become fully operational in the future. Ansaldo Energia’s Birr test facility, prior to its current designation, validated advanced gas turbine technologies and drove performance, emissions, and fuel flexibility improvements.

FLEX4H2 Project

At Hydrogen Research and Innovation Days 2025, Ansaldo Energia’s FLEX4H2 project obtained the “Best Success Story” European award—recognized by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. The award and recognition highlights FLEX4H2’s results: Tests confirmed that sequential combustion can handle all hydrogen-natural gas blends, including pure hydrogen, making it a viable solution for the transitioning energy landscape.

The FLEX4H2 technology uses the company’s Constant Pressure Sequential Combustion (CPSC) system. Sequential combustion is a two-stage process which burns fuel in two distinct steps, enabling the independent control of each stage. With the CPSC system, FLEX4H2 enhances fuel flexibility, improves operational stability, and enables lower emissions, specifically when burning hydrogen-rich blends.

For Ansaldo Energia, fuel flexibility is a strategic priority and a primary enabler for the energy transition. Operating turbines on wide-ranging fuel blends, including high shares of hydrogen up to 70%, is a key aspect of Ansaldo Energia’s initiative to decarbonize power generation while securing grid stability and reliability. The project’s success is credited to collaboration between industry, research centers, and universities, and represents a step toward 100% industrial hydrogen combustion by 2030.

Matra Power Plant

In December 2025, Ansaldo Energia agreed to deliver one hydrogen-ready GT26 gas turbine and one steam turbine, with respective generators, to the new combined-cycle Mátra Power Plant in Hungary. The 521-MW power plant is scheduled to enter commercial operations in early 2029, replacing an existing lignite-fired plant and satisfying Hungary’s ongoing decarbonization initiative, bolstering power supply, and securing grid stability.

During operation, the new power plant may reduce CO₂ emissions by up to approximately 70% in comparison to the retiring lignite facility. With the GT26 gas turbine, a future integration of up to 30% hydrogen in the fuel blend will further reduce emissions. The turbine also delivers a net efficiency of approximately 60% in combined-cycle configuration, leading to lower fuel consumption, reduced emissions, and competitive generation costs across the load range.

Ansaldo’s GT26 also features sequential combustion to enable quicker load ramps. The turbine’s design permits highly flexible operation with low emissions across a wide compliancy window, optimizing responsiveness to demand peaks and intermittent renewables. It maintains flexibility without derating while operating on hydrogen blends. The Mátra Power Plant will also demonstrate a minimum environmental load of approximately 30%.