SINGAPORE: General Electric Company (GE) will invest up to US$60 million over 10 years in its global repair service centre in Singapore.
The investment is for the next-generation repair capabilities for high efficiency and air cooled (HA) gas turbines.
The announcement underscores the company’s commitment to continued investments in the future of gas, which is a vital part of the energy mix.
GE Gas Power chief executive officer Scott Strazik said the new centre for industry-leading HA gas turbine technology is expected to become one of GE’s largest gas turbine repair facilities globally, servicing HA and Aeroderivative gas turbines.
“It will also allow us to better serve our HA customers in Asia as we provide localised support and expect to reduce HA repair cycle time for them by up to two months,” he said at the launch of the GRSC for gas turbines in Singapore recently.
He said the new centre of execellence will significantly increase GE’s repair development capability globally to support the industry’s most-advanced, heavy-duty gas turbine, making the site a world reference in power generation technology development and implementation.
The centre, which will begin repairing HA components in 2021, will include a research and development centre to develop next-generation HA repair capabilities and the repair of high-tech components, such as HA nozzles and blades.
“Singapore has been a key industrial and talent hub for GE over the last 50 years. The quality of talent, belief in our team and the work they are doing here, and our strong partnership and trust with the government and EDB are key reasons we chose Singapore for this investment,” he added.
With GE’s HA fleet growing globally, the investment allows to better service HA power plant operators based in Asia, and all countries outside Americas region, which will be served by GE’s manufacturing and services facility in Greenville.
This news comes on the heels of GE’s celebration of its 100th HA gas turbine order with the Greek MYTILINEOS S.A Power Plant and the introduction of its 7HA.03 gas turbine, which enables the most efficient combined cycle block of power at the lowest cost conversion of gas to electricity for 60 Hz customers.
GE has been involved in the current service centre in Singapore since the 1970s in partnership with local companies. The site originally performed marine and offshore repairs.
With GE, it has evolved into power generation repairs, servicing gas turbines, steam turbines and generators.
Its current focus is exclusively on power generation gas turbine repair processes and localizsation of GE’s newest products.
The facility carries out overhauls of gas turbine blades, rotors and aeroderivative engine components.
It also uses advanced repair technologies such as robotic laser cladding, adaptive computerised numerical control machining, robotic coating and polishing, and inspection technologies.
GE Gas Power global supply chain vice president Richard Simpson said the company would continue to help power economies in Asia Pacific.
“GE provides one third of the region’s electricity needs and more than one third of Singapore’s power installed capacity.
“Our HA gas turbine is the world’s fastest growing fleet. We have 11 HA gas turbines in operation, 30 on order in countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, and six technology selections throughout the region,” he said.
GE expects the HA fleet to grow to more than 50 by 2025 in the region.
The centre is focused on power generation gas turbine repair processes and localisation of GE’s newest products.
The team carries out overhauls of gas turbine blades, rotors and aeroderivative engine components.
“Going forward, we will leverage the scale, volume and capabilities of this existing facility to reduce HA repair cycle time by two months and improve responsiveness to customers in the region,” he said.
Simpson said GE also aims to increase next-generation repair capabilities and develop innovative repair solutions with new technology equipment and machinery.
“We plan to add up to 160 experts in engineering and repair, in addition to the current 250 employees at the centre,” he said adding that new engineering and repairs teams will provide localised support to better service power plant operators and reduce repair cycle time.