GE & Uniper Unveil World’s First High Efficiency Upgrade for GT26 GT Fleet
GE and Uniper Unveil ‘GT26 HE’ Solution, the World’s First High-Efficiency Upgrade for the GT26 Gas Turbine Fleet
• By Tapping into GE’s H-Class, F-Class and Additive Manufacturing Technologies, GE Unleashes Full Performance of the GT26 Platform
• GE’s GT26 High-Efficiency Upgrade Provides a Leap Forward in Efficiency; Significantly Decreases Fuel Costs, Increases Plant Output up to 55 Megawatts per Unit and Extends Maintenance Intervals by up to Two Years
• Uniper’s Enfield Power Plant Will Be the First Site to Install the New GT26 HE Technology in 2020
Continuing its commitment to invest in its mature gas turbine fleets to keep them competitive in today’s dynamic energy marketplace, GE (NYSE: GE) today announced the launch order for its new GT26 HE (high efficiency) gas turbine upgrade with Uniper for the utility’s Enfield Power Station in greater London.
“We’re proud to launch our new GT26 HE upgrade with Uniper—it’s the most advanced solution we’ve ever introduced on a GT26 gas turbine, and one of our most efficient upgrades within the F-class portfolio,” said Scott Strazik, president and CEO of GE’s new Gas Power business. “Not only will this upgrade revitalize Uniper’s Enfield power plant, it will also improve its competitive position in the Great Britain generation market, supporting its long-term profitability and viability.”
The GT26 HE upgrade also marks other GE firsts:
• First upgrade that takes the best technologies and capabilities from GE’s industry-leading F and H class fleets to create a robust solution for GT26 power plant operators.
• First upgrade that blends both GE and Alstom’s technology and expertise across all major components of a gas turbine solution.
Key performance benefits 1 include:
• Higher efficiency for combined-cycle power plants:
2+ percent base load increased efficiency, translating to as much as $4 million in fuel savings annually per unit.
Up to 1 percent increased efficiency in part load, yielding up to $1 million in fuel savings a year per unit.
• Increased plant output from 15 megawatts (MW) up to 55 MWs per unit, improving revenue opportunities.
• Extended inspection intervals up to 32,000 hours, reducing operations and long-term maintenance costs.
Helping Revitalize Uniper’s Enfield Power Station
Indicative values based on:
• Rating GT26 2006 configuration
• 6,500 yearly operating hours
• 4,000 full load hours yearly
• $7/MMBtu fuel price
• $57/MWH electricity price
Uniper’s Enfield power plant in London will be the first site to install the new GT26 HE technology in 2020 with several significant benefits that GE expects to exceed. These benefits will include increased megawatt output, improved plant and gas turbine efficiency, and extended maintenance intervals and operating hours to enable Enfield to consistently elevate its position on the dispatch curve in the highly competitive U.K. power market and ramp up its annual operating hours.
“We’re very pleased to be working with GE on this new technology upgrade,” said Eckhardt Rümmler, chief operating officer, Uniper SE. “In Great Britain’s very competitive and challenging power generation environment, investing to keep our plants competitive by lowering operational and maintenance costs at the same time as increasing efficiency and flexibility is critical for the long-term success of our fleet.”
“The opportunity to test GE’s pioneering GT26 HE upgrade at our Enfield plant, combined with our longstanding relationship with GE and trust in its technology and services were key reasons we chose the company for this project,” added Mike Lockett, chief commercial officer, power, for the Uniper Group and Uniper U.K. country chairman.
H-Class Technology Infusion Drives High-Efficiency Performance
The GT26 HE upgrade provides a leap forward in efficiency, output and maintenance interval extensions. It’s powered partly through advanced technology from GE’s flagship HA gas turbine, the largest and most efficient in the industry, with additive manufactured parts and innovations in aerodynamics, material science and combustion dynamics. It embeds technology breakthroughs across every major component of the GT26 frame—turbine, compressor and combustor—to take turbine performance to a new level, significantly decreasing fuel costs while increasing full-load output and extending maintenance intervals.
The new upgrade also features the best of GE’s research and development centers in both the United States and Switzerland, including unique engineering elements:
• A low-pressure turbine used in GE’s H-class technology.
• High-pressure turbine improvements to increase efficiency, utilizing GE’s F-class technology.
• Advanced combustor engineering incorporating additive manufactured parts to deliver high performance, reduce cooling requirements by approximately 15 percent and lower relative emissions.
• A new 3D aero-profile compressor configuration to provide best-in-class base-load and part-load performance.
Uniper is an international energy company with around 12,000 employees and operations in 40 countries. It combines a balanced portfolio of technologically advanced large-scale assets with outstanding technical and commercial expertise—tailoring energy solutions and managing complexity for its customers.
In Britain, Uniper operates a flexible and diverse generation portfolio, sufficient to power around six million homes. With its seven-strong fleet of power stations and its flexible, fast-cycle gas storage facility at Holford, in Cheshire, it makes a solid and tangible contribution to Britain’s energy supply security.
Uniper also offers a broad range of commercial activities through its Engineering Services division, while the well-established Uniper Engineering Academy delivers high-quality technical training and government-accredited apprenticeship programmes for the utility, manufacturing and heavy industry sectors, at its purpose-built facilities near Nottingham.
About GE
GE (NYSE:GE) drives the world forward by tackling its biggest challenges. By combining world-class
engineering with software and analytics, GE helps the world work more efficiently, reliably, and safely.
For more than 125 years, GE has invented the future of industry, and today it leads new paradigms in
additive manufacturing, materials science, and data analytics. GE people are global, diverse and
dedicated, operating with the highest integrity and passion to fulfill GE’s mission and deliver for our customers.
About GE Power
GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data-leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable.
For more information, visit the company’s website at . Follow GE Power on Twitter and on at GE Power.
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For more information, contact:
Laura Aresi
GE Power – Power Services
Global Media Relations Leader
+39 02 67335622
laura.aresi@ge.com
Gill Dickinson
Senior PR Manager – Uniper in the UK
+44 0 7976 168356
gill.dickinson@uniper.energy
