Siemens, which in July announced it would shed 7000 out of 35 000 jobs from its Industrial Services division, is now to let go a further 400 staff at its Newcastle, UK, steam turbine plant.
Siemens Power Generation said that production of steam turbines would be phased out at the plant over a two year period starting in November in response to a global downturn in demand for power plants. The firm will retain 300 of its staff to handle servicing operations. The sales arm of the company located in Berkshire will not be affected.
Meanwhile PG's steam power plant modernisation business is trending upward. In 2001 the division posted sales of E8.6 billion and received new orders totalling E12.2 billion. Orders in the US and Sweden total approximately E190 million and include upgrades of turbines in four power plants, two separate stations for the U.S. utility PSEG, based in Newark, New Jersey, one plant for Texas-based TXU Energy, and one unit for Swedish operator Forsmarks Kraftgrupp AB.
Units 1 and 2 of PSEG's Salem nuclear plant, each rated at 1150 MW, were built by Westinghouse and have been supplying power since 1977 and 1981 respectively. New high-pressure turbines in both units and three new low-pressure turbines in unit 1 will increase output by approximately 90 MW. The turbines will be manufactured at the PG plant in Muelheim, the upgrades to be implemented in stages finishing in 2006.
The Westinghouse built 600 MW PSEG Hudson unit 2 coal-fired plant is to get a new high-pressure turbine during 2003. The order for four new low-pressure turbines for the TXU Energy Comanche Peak twin-unit nuclear plant, which is located near Dallas, Texas, is a continuation of turbine modernisation started in 1999.
Siemens PG's contract with Sweden's Forsmarks Kraftgrupp AB, a Vattenfall subsidiary, calls for the upgrade of three low-pressure turbines at the ABB-built Forsmark 3 1200 MW nuclear plant northeast of Stockholm. The upgrade, which should increase output by about 30 MW, is scheduled for mid 2004.
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