GE has announced the first order for its new GT26 HE gas turbine upgrade with Uniper for the utility’s Enfield Power Station in London, UK. GE said that the upgrade is also the first to combine technologies from the F- and H-class fleets for the GT26, and it is also the first to blend GE and Alstom technology across all the major components of a gas turbine station.
The Enfield plant will be the first site to install the new GT26 HE technology in 2020. GE said that there will be several benefits for the plant, including: increased output; improved plant and gas turbine efficiency; extended maintenance intervals; and increased operating hours. GE claims that the GT26 HE can offer:
· Two per cent increase in base load efficiency.
· Up to one per cent increase in part load efficiency.
· Plant output increased by 15-55 MW per unit.
· Inspection intervals extended to 32,000 operating hours.
The upgrade features: An LP turbine used in GE’s H-class technology; high-pressure turbine improvements to increase efficiency; combustor improvements incorporating additive manufactured parts to enable cooling requirements to be reduced by 15 per cent; a new 3D aero-profile compressor configuration to provide best-in-class base-load and part-load performance.
Scott Strazik, President and CEO of GE’s Gas Power business, said: “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. Not only will this upgrade revitalise Uniper’s Enfield power plant, it will also improve its competitive position in the British generation market, supporting its long-term profitability and viability.”