According to the McIlvaine Company, power plant valve purchases will remain at a high level thanks to continued construction of new coal-fired power plants in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan.
Next year nearly 50 percent of the $8 billion power plant valve expenditures will be by East Asian power generators. NAFTA will be the second largest region thanks to construction of new gas turbine combined cycle power plants.
Coal-fired power plants are at the top of the list with regard to valve opportunities. Nuclear power is second on the list, with a slightly smaller number of valves per plant because there is no requirement for flue gas treatment or flyash and bottom ash handling. Gas-fired power plants hold significant potential for valve sales both in terms of numbers of new plants, and in terms of plant complexity.