GE Energy's Mark VI Nuclear Turbine Control Reaches 12,000 Hour Operational Milestone
ATLANTA, GA.-September 5, 2006-GE Energy has announced today that its Mark VI nuclear digital turbine control system has reached a major milestone in exceeding 12,000 hours of operation between scheduled outages with 100% availability. The control system upgrade was commissioned in January 2005 as the first Mark VI nuclear turbine control retrofit on a BWR plant at PSEG Nuclear's Hope Creek Generating Station in Lower Alloways Creek, N.J.
Under the terms of the contract, GE Energy provided a Mark VI triple redundant turbine control system & bypass pressure control regulator and completed an upgrade to a dual two-out-of-three voting trip manifold assembly. In addition, GE supplied two control room operator stations, plant simulator upgrade equipment and a stand-alone Mark VI operator-training simulator. GE also provided project management, design change package and installation and commissioning services.
The Mark VI nuclear turbine control is capable of triple modular redundancy as well as fault tolerant designs based on customer inputs and critical nuclear-specific operational needs. This particular design has enabled Hope Creek to experience safe, reliable, plant performance with advanced, digital controls.
"In the 18 months since our start-up, we have been very pleased with the performance of the Mark VI," said Mike Lazar, DEHC system manager, PSEG's Hope Creek Generating Station. "The service and support we received, in addition to the superior product operation, has clearly made GE the right choice."
"The Mark VI nuclear turbine control delivers improved reliability and availability in an integrated system that is efficient and easy to use, via enhanced plant monitoring and online diagnostic capabilities," said Dan Heintzelman, president of GE Energy's services business. "This retrofit exhibits GE's expertise, strength and commitment in support of nuclear power plants."
PSEG Nuclear is a subsidiary of PSEG Power, one of the largest independent power producers in the U.S., and an affiliate of Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), New Jersey's largest electric and gas utility. PSEG Power currently has approximately 14,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in operation and an additional 3,000 in construction. In addition to PSEG Nuclear, PSEG Power's subsidiaries include PSEG Fossil, which owns and operates fossil-fueled generating facilities and PSEG Energy Resources and Trade. PSEG Power and PSE&G are subsidiaries of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG: NYSE), a diversified energy holding company with headquarters in Newark, NJ.
About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2005 revenue of $16.5 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.
For more information, contact:
Dennis Murphy
GE Energy
+1 678 844 6948
dennis.murphy@ps.ge.com
Gina DeRossi or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786-6488
gina.derossi@mastopr.com
howard.masto@ge.com
