GE's F Technology Fleet of Gas Turbines Tops 20 Million Hours of Operation Worldwide
1,000th Machine to Ship This Summer
MADRID, SPAIN-June 26, 2007-GE Energy today announced the latest milestone for its installed fleet of F technology gas turbines: more than 20 million hours of commercial operation in power plants worldwide. In addition, the company expects to ship its 1,000th F-class machine later this summer.
"These newest milestones reinforce our leadership position in advanced gas turbine experience," said Steve Bolze, president, power generation for GE Energy. "In response to industry requirements, we have continued to evolve our F technology and it has become an industry benchmark for efficient and reliable electricity production."
Since its introduction in 1987, GE's F technology has set global industry standards for reliability, availability, efficiency and emissions.
According to ORAP* data, GE's 7F turbine is the most reliable gas turbine in the F class and is the first to achieve 99.1% reliability. In addition, the newest member of the GE F fleet, the Frame 9FB, has achieved combined-cycle efficiency exceeding 58%.
GE's F machines also feature outstanding operational flexibility, as they were the first gas turbines in their class to reach 40% turndown while maintaining single digit NOx and CO emissions levels.
The Frame 9FB is an example of GE's continuing investment to improve the availability, reliability and performance of its F-class fleet. Configured with GE's High Efficiency Advanced Technology (HEAT*) steam turbine in gas-fired, combined-cycle operation, the 9FB can produce more than 412 megawatts, a significant increase over the 9FA's combined-cycle output of approximately 390 megawatts.
Many of the units in GE's installed fleet of F-technology machines are covered by contractual service agreements (CSAs), which include the supply of parts, repairs and field services for planned and unplanned outages of the gas turbine-generators and accessory equipment, along with performance guarantees.
"Our CSAs are structured to provide technologies to help improve the reliability and availability of the gas turbines for the length of the service agreement," said Bolze. "We also offer guarantees that provide incentives for increasing the time between outages, which results in greater productivity for extended periods."
F Technology Fleet Milestones
Since the first machine was shipped in 1988, with commercial operation in 1990 at Dominion Resources, Inc.'s Chesterfield site in Virginia, GE's F technology gas turbines have recorded a number of significant industry milestones, including:
o In 1989, Tokyo Electric Power Company announced the selection of GE's F technology for a 2,800-megawatt expansion of the Yokohama Thermal Power Station.
o In 1994, a 7FA unit at Korea Electric Power Corporation's Seoinchon plant became the first gas turbine in the world to reach 55% thermal efficiency in commercial combined-cycle operation. A subsequent installation of that facility made Seoinchon the world's largest installation of F technology, with a total output of 4,000 megawatts.
o In late 1995 and early 1996, a Frame 7FA gas turbine at Sithe Energies' Independence Station near Oswego, N.Y. recorded 100% availability and reliability over a 108-day stretch of continuous operation, a record for F-class machines at that time.
o In 1997, a 7FA gas turbine at Florida Power's Martin Station completed an operating run of 203 consecutive days, an F technology record at the time.
o 1997 also was the year that GE's F technology fleet surpassed one million hours of commercial service, becoming the world's first advanced gas turbine technology to reach that milestone.
o In 1997, a GE 7FA unit became the first to achieve single digit NOx, recording nine ppm NOx and nine PPM CO at Clark Public Utilities in Vancouver, Wash.
o In 2002, the fleet of installed GE F machines surpassed five million fired hours in worldwide service.
o In 2004 and 2005, GE was selected to supply a total of 20 F technology machines for phases one and two of China's Gas Turbine Power Plants Construction Project, a cornerstone of the country's efforts to meet its growing power requirements.
o In late 2006 and early 2007, GE announced it will supply 35 F technology gas turbines as part of an overall package of commitments valued at nearly two billion dollars for power plant projects in Saudi Arabia.
o In 2007, GE's new DLN 2.6+ combustion system, designed to reduce NOx emissions by 40% on Frame 9FA and 9FA+e gas turbines, received GE ecomagination certification. Two of the first DLN 2.6+ systems are installed at the AEM Cassano d'Adda Power Station in Milan, Italy.
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 2006 revenue of $19 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:
Mary Gibson
GE Energy
+1 678 844 4312
mary1.gibson@ge.com
* ORAP® is a registered trademark of Operational Reliability Analysis Program.
* HEAT® is a registered trademark of the General Electric Company.
