Source: Government of Singapore
19 March 2026 – The National Environment Agency (NEA) has awarded a contract to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (MHIAP) to carry out the redesign and retrofit of boilers and related equipment at the Tuas South Incineration Plant (TSIP). This upgrade is a key part of NEA’s efforts to extend TSIP’s operations until 2035.
About Tuas South Incineration Plant
2. TSIP is the second largest Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants in Singapore and has been operational since 2000. The $890 million facility can incinerate 3,000 tonnes of waste daily. Heat energy is recovered from the incineration process in boilers and is used to generate electricity. About 30% of the electricity is used for plant operations and the remaining 70% is exported to Singapore’s national electricity grid.
Boiler Retrofit Project to Enhance Operational Reliability and Extend Plant Lifespan to 2035
3. The boiler retrofit project will enhance TSIP’s operational reliability and extend the plant’s lifespan to 2035. MHIAP will redesign and replace the furnace boiler tubes across all six incinerator-boiler units with heat-resistant tubes and install advanced temperature controls. Improvements such as more resilient metal welding of the boiler tubes, will be incorporated so that the boilers can better handle heat and the combustion products of different types of waste. Once completed, MHIAP will continue to provide engineering support to ensure that the plant runs smoothly.
4. While TSIP has undergone regular maintenance and equipment replacements since it began operations, this is the first major upgrade of TSIP’s boiler systems after over 25 years of continuous operation. The upgrades will enable TSIP to treat high calorific value waste. TSIP will concurrently refurbish other systems such as the boiler soot blower system, ash conveyance system, flue gas treatment system and waste cranes. Collectively, the upgrades and refurbishment work will safeguard the reliability of the plant over the next ten years.
5. Work is expected to begin in June 2026 and be completed by the fourth quarter of 2027. Waste treatment at TSIP will continue as usual during the project period using its remaining incinerator-boiler units. NEA will monitor the overall waste treatment capacity and redirect waste to other waste incineration facilities, if needed, to meet the overall incineration demand.
6. Incineration reduces waste volume by 90%, generates electricity and enables metal recovery from the resultant ash. This project reinforces Singapore’s commitment to sustainable waste management and its goals for a circular economy, where waste is turned into useful resources.
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