GE Upgrade Exceeds Expectations, Boosts Power Plant’s Output
In continuation of its operations improvement and power plant modernization plan, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited (IEPL) and GE Gas Power (NYSE: GE) today announced that they have successfully executed GE’s 6B Performance Improvement Package (PIP) upgrade on the third 6B gas turbine at the petrochemical facility in Eleme, Rivers State. This modernization increased the turbine’s output by 5.1 Megawatts (MW), more than doubling the previously expected power output increase of 2.5 MW – and effectively bringing the cumulative power increase on all three turbines to over 10 MW.
“Refineries have very stringent reliability and safety requirements. GE’s proven 6B gas turbine technology will bring added security and robust availability to the already high standards of Indorama s’ petrochemical operations,” said a senior management official of Indorama Group of Companies. “We are delighted by GE’s performance improvement package on our 6B turbine. It was executed on time to the highest standard of safety and quality. By increasing the availability and overall reliability of our power plant, we improved the performance of our operations, and we will be able to contribute to the nation’s economic growth.”
The upgrade will help extend the hot gas path component life of the unit, increase availability and lower maintenance costs by eliminating a combustion inspection and extending maintenance intervals between hot gas path inspections to as much as 32,000 hours. In addition, the upgrade is expected to increase output and enhance heat rate through improved materials and airflows, increase parts life up to 96,000 hours, reduce clearances and leakages, and enable firing temperature increases.
“This project underscores GE’s commitment to supply the latest technology and services to meet the reliability demands of the petrochemical industry worldwide. More efficient power plants mean more power output available for power plant operators to respond to the growing energy needs of their end-users. With our customized and innovative solutions, we are laser focused on helping our customers increase operational performance, output, and profitability”, said Kenneth Oyakhire, Services Executive of GE’s Gas Power business, Sub-Saharan Africa.
GE 6B fleet is known for its ability to withstand extreme conditions —a reputation earned with a global fleet reliability of 98.4 percent, which is about 2 percent higher than the industry average and translates to approximately 17 more days of availability per year. GE’s investment in our mature fleets help power producers and industrial operators remain competitive in today’s very dynamic marketplace. In Africa, GE has an installed base of up to sixty 6B gas turbines at various locations. The fleet is mainly used for power generation for grid supply as well as for large industrial uses, like refineries.
GE powers plants that deliver flexible, efficient and reliable power to millions of people around the world. With almost 70 years of presence in Sub-Saharan Africa, GE has been collaborating with energy stakeholders to deploy innovative technologies tailored to respond to the needs of the Sub-Saharan Africa region with reliable baseload and flexible power. GE delivers across the entire energy ecosystem from generation to transmission and distribution and throughout the region, GE-built technologies are supported by GE local service and maintenance teams to help ensure access to reliable and sustainable energy.
