A new order for a GE Vernova 7HA gas turbine placed today would likely see delivery in late 2028 at the earliest, with potential delays extending to 2029–2030 depending on production ramp-up and order prioritization. This equates to a lead time of approximately 3–4 years from order date, though some reports indicate quotes up to 5–7 years for non-prioritized slots amid surging demand from AI data centers and grid reliability needs. Non-prioritized slots means you do not pay about double the price to get it faster.
GE Vernova’s 7HA high efficiency air-cooled gas turbine is one of the industry leaders among advanced class gas turbine offerings, boasts more than 2M hours of operating experience, and is available in three models—the 7HA.01 at 290 MW, the 7HA.02 at 384 MW, and the 7HA.03 at 430 MW.
As of the second quarter of 2025, GE Vernova’s equipment backlog for its HA-class gas turbines (primarily the 7HA and 9HA models) stands at 29 gigawatts (GW). This figure has remained stable from the first quarter, reflecting a balance between new orders and shipments (5 GW per quarter). The 7HA models represent the majority of this backlog, as they are the most widely deployed in the HA lineup for combined-cycle applications. Overall gas power backlog, including services and slot reservations, has grown to 55 GW, with expectations to approach 60 GW by the end of Q3 2025.
GE is investing in capacity expansion ($41 million for generator manufacturing in August 2025) to reach up to 80 heavy-duty turbines per year (32 GW), but near-term shortages persist.
Get Ready Before your Delivery Date
If ordered today for 2028 delivery, you could begin foundation work as early as 2027 per GE’s project handover protocols.
Typical Prep Timeline: Start 6–12 months before expected delivery. Foundation excavation, pouring, and curing alone can take 3–6 months, followed by setting foundation plates and shims.
Why in Advance?
Turbine modules arrive pre-assembled, but site readiness ensures seamless handover. GE’s installation guidelines emphasize inspecting and preparing foundations prior to shipment.
For a combined-cycle plant, overall site prep might span 12–18 months before delivery, including permits and auxiliary systems.
Installation and Activation After Delivery
Once the turbine is delivered, the focus shifts to on-site assembly, testing, and commissioning. The modular design allows for stackable enclosures with pre-packaged valves, piping, and electrical systems, enabling simultaneous workstreams and reducing safety risks.
Initial power generation (first fire and partial load) can occur 3–6 months.
Getting it to full power can take another 12 months. If you had a late 2028 turbine delivery then you would be lucky to get full power from it in 2030.
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I have seen various reports online about the time to get utility power up and running.
Utility scale solar can take round 18 months.
Utility scale wind can take around 20 months.
A Combined Cycle Gas Turbine can take around 4 years.
A nuclear power station can take 10 years or more to come online plus is one of the most expensive sources of electricity.
Modular nuclear reactors may be a good idea but are still in development. A web search indicates that only China and Russia have operational modular reactors.