OREANDA-NEWS. Vattenfall Europe Wärme AG (VE-W), a subsidiary of Swedish utility Vattenfall AB, has selected GE’s Power Services business (NYSE: GE) to overhaul and extend the operating life of two, 130-megawatt Siemens steam turbines from 1993 and 1963 at the utility’s hard coal-fired DHP Wedel Power Plant in Hamburg, Germany. The project recognizes GE’s enhanced capabilities to service power equipment made by other manufacturers and the important role that coal-generating technology will play in helping meet the region’s future energy needs.

“We are pleased to work with GE, who presented us with a comprehensive proposal to refurbish the Wedel station’s steam turbines, which ensure lifetime extension measures to help guarantee a sustainable operation of the plant,” said Markus Wonka, plant manager from Vattenfall in Hamburg.

GE is supplying Vattenfall with technology that includes advanced steam turbine, generator, boiler and air quality control systems to deliver improved levels of efficiency and lower levels of emissions.

The Wedel station agreement builds on GE’s 25 years of servicing generation equipment at various Vattenfall power plants throughout Germany. GE enhanced its capabilities to service power equipment made by other manufacturers following the acquisition of Alstom Power in November 2015.

“We are excited to work with Vattenfall to demonstrate our enhanced capabilities to service other manufacturers’ turbosets by providing a customized package to meet Vattenfall’s efficiency and reliability requirements and demonstrate how GE’s coal-generation portfolio is well-positioned to respond to the region’s future energy needs,” said Pascal Schweitzer, general manager of GE’s Power Services business in Europe. “This project offers Vattenfall the kind of value-added proposition they are looking for to remain competitive and environmentally sustainable.”

For the project, GE will overhaul the two-unit station’s generating equipment in 2017 and 2018, with each unit comprised of a turboset featuring one high-pressure turbine, one intermediate-pressure  turbine and one low-pressure (LP) turbine. The upgrades will extend the operating life of the units for several years and help increase their reliability and efficiency for Vattenfall.

The Wedel turbine overhauls are part of an overall refurbishment project that Vattenfall has scheduled at the station between 2016 and 2018. GE also will supply the valves and deliver the new LP stationary and rotating blades. Major parts of the overhaul work will be performed on-site, but the rotors will be shipped to GE’s service factory in Berlin. The turbine overhauls are scheduled to be performed from April to August 2017 (Unit 2) and the same period in 2018 (Unit 1).

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