GE has been selected by Vattenfall Europe Wärme, a subsidiary of Swedish utility Vattenfall, to overhaul two Siemens-built steam turbines, each with 130MW capacity, at the hard coal-fired DHP Wedel power plant in Hamburg, Germany.

The Units 1 and 2 were commissioned at the Wedel combined heat and power (CHP) plant in 1993 and 1963.

Each unit consists of a turboset featuring one high-pressure turbine, a intermediate-pressure turbine and a low-pressure (LP) turbine.

GE will be responsible for the supply of advanced steam turbine, generator, boiler and air quality control systems to deliver improved levels of efficiency and lower levels of emissions for the units.

The upgrades are expected to extend the operating life of the units while increasing their reliability and efficiency for Vattenfall.

GE Power Services business in Europe general manager Pascal Schweitzer said: “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.

“This project offers Vattenfall the kind of value-added proposition they are looking for to remain competitive and environmentally sustainable.”

The company will also supply valves and deliver the new LP stationary and rotating blades.

GE plans to undertake overhaul work on major parts on-site while the rotors will be shipped to its service factory in Berlin.

Work under the contract is scheduled from April to August 2017 for Unit 2 and the April to August 2018 for Unit 1.

The DHP Wedel power plant’s turbines overhaul work is part Vattenfall’s overall refurbishment project planned at the station between 2016 and 2018.

The Wedel project has heat capacity of 423MWth.


Image: The hard coal-fired DHP Wedel power plant is located in Hamburg, Germany. Photo: courtesy of General Electric.