- Multimillion Dollar Deal among GE's Largest Service Agreements in Europe over the Past Year
- Operating Flexibility and Reducing Costs are Keys to Success in U.K. Power Sector
- Latest Agreement Builds on GE's Long-Term Relationship with RWE npower
LONDON---May 2, 2013---GE (NYSE: GE) has signed a multimillion dollar, multi-year maintenance plan with U.K. energy company RWE npower to provide a full range of services that will help increase the operating flexibility and reduce costs for its Great Yarmouth and Little Barford power plants. Together, these two natural gas-burning plants serve the power needs of nearly 1 million U.K. homes and businesses.
The Little Barford combined-cycle power station operates with two GE 9FA gas turbines and has a generating capacity of 740 megawatts, while the Great Yarmouth power station features one GE 9FA gas turbine and has a capacity of 400 megawatts. The agreement for these sites is among the largest GE service contracts signed in Europe over the past year.
Designed for 50-Hz applications, the advanced technology 9FA gas turbine delivers power with high efficiency, availability, reliability and low emissions. The 9FA gas turbine provides the flexibility required today in many regions for power that can be rapidly adjusted to compensate for changes in renewable generation, demand or use. It provides the plant operator with choices to best meet fluctuating power demands.
The new service agreement follows a previous GE maintenance support agreement for the Little Barford plant that included the first U.K. installation of GE's dual fuel DLN 2.6+ combustion system technology, which enables a 40 percent reduction in NOx emissions.
The new multi-year maintenance program is designed to help increase the availability and reliability of the GE 9FA gas turbines at the Little Barford and Great Yarmouth sites. It also will help the plants to maintain high levels of fuel efficiency and help reduce maintenance cycles, which translates to higher availability and increased revenue in generation. During the life of the contract, GE will supply OEM parts and technical services, including repair and training.
The agreement also positions RWE's plants to benefit from GE's latest technology and global experience. To date, GE has long-term service agreements in place at more than 700 sites worldwide.
"We are sharply focused on helping our customers maintain high productivity and returns on investment from their installed assets," said Dick Ayres, general manager of GE's Power Generation Services (PGS) business in Europe. "This level of service commitment is particularly crucial to energy producers in the U.K., which is currently experiencing an excess supply of power. In this type of environment, only the most efficient power plants can successfully compete, and we want to help our customers better position themselves long term."
In addition to Little Barford and Great Yarmouth, GE continues to support the RWE npower cogen fleet at industrial power plants in the U.K.
Through a collaborative process, RWE and GE continue to work collectively to consider improvements across the U.K. fleet including technical support for the installation, operation and maintenance of gas and steam turbines, generators, turbine controls and accessory systems. This collaboration helps improve RWE's overall fleet performance and availability, which contribute to a more stable power grid for the communities served by RWE.
RWE npower is a leading U.K. energy company and is part of the RWE Group, one of Europe's leading electricity and gas companies. RWE npower serves approximately 6.5 million customer accounts and produces about 10 percent of the electricity used in Great Britain. In the U.K., RWE also is at the forefront of producing energy through renewable sources. RWE Innogy, part of RWE npower, leads the U.K. wind power market and also is a leader in hydroelectric generation.
GE's PGS business delivers total life cycle solutions that enable GE customers to extract more value from their existing power generation assets. By harnessing advanced technologies, data analytics and 130 years of OEM experience, PGS provides customers with the FlexEfficiency* Advantage.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar, biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world's most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water's six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy, Thermal Products and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE's largest industrial business.
Follow GE Power & Water Twitter @GE_PowerWater.
Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
[email protected]
1-518-786-6488
Ken Darling
Masto Public Relations
[email protected]
1-518-786-6488
GE news Michael Goldstein Nicolas Delaby
Masto Public Relations
[email protected]
GE Power
[email protected]
+1 678 844 6653
+1 770 356 9695
GE Power
[email protected]
+33-(0)-384-59-1457
business unit
tags