GE to overhaul Wedel

Vattenfall Europe Wärme has selected GE’s Power Services business to overhaul and extend the operating life of two 130 MW Siemens steam turbines dating back to 1993 and 1963 at the utility’s hard coal-fired Wedel district heating CHP plant in Hamburg, Germany. The project, says GE, recognises its enhanced capabilities following the November 2015 Alstom power businesses acquisition to service equipment made by other manufacturers and the important role that coal power generation will play in helping meet the region’s future energy needs.

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 project scope includes overhaul of the two-unit station’s generating equipment, with each unit comprised of a turboset featuring one high-pressure turbine, one intermediate-pressure turbine and one low-pressure turbine. The upgrades will extend the operating life of the units for several years and help increase their reliability and efficiency.

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 corresponding period in 2018 (unit 1).