Many of electronic music's rhythms originate from flow, pressure, and continuous control. A
gas-fired power plant is where these invisible forces are transformed into stable electrical
energy.

Located in Guanyin, Taoyuan, Datan Power Plant is Taiwan's largest gas-fired power plant
and the world's fourth-largest gas-fired power station. Approved in 1997 to strengthen
electricity supply in northern Taiwan, the plant began commercial operation in 2005 and has
continued to expand ever since. Today, it serves as a critical infrastructure supporting
northern metropolitan areas, the semiconductor industry, and Taiwan's ongoing energy
transition.

Unlike conventional coal- or oil-fired power plants, Datan adopts a high-efficiency
combined-cycle generation system. Natural gas first drives a gas turbine to generate
electricity, while the exhaust heat is recovered to produce steam that powers a second steam
turbine. This process significantly improves energy efficiency and reflects Taiwan's transition
toward a cleaner and more efficient power system.

Walking through Tatan reveals a soundscape fundamentally different from the heavy
industrial drone of Hsieh-ho Power Plant. Natural gas, steam, pipelines, valves, pressure,
cooling systems, and automated controls create a landscape of continuous flow. Here,
mechanical sound is no longer simply the by-product of massive energy production, but the
audible expression of a highly coordinated energy system.

The most memorable moment came from the plant's deputy director, who remarked:
"When I enter the plant, I need to hear the machines running. That's how I know everything is
operating normally.”

For power engineers, sound is not background noise but a vital indicator of system health.
When all six generating units operate at full capacity, every turbine, steam line, and cooling
system maintains its own rhythm and frequency. These continuous operational sounds
become the power plant's most authentic acoustic signature.

For Electric Musicology, Datan documents more than the sound of gas-fired generation. It
captures the rhythm of a contemporary energy system, where natural gas, steam, pressure,
and control systems together form the sonic prototype of Signal / Pulse in electronic music.
These recordings become sonic materials that can be reinterpreted into electronic music,
sound design, and future approaches to brand sound curation.