Following GE’s 2019 announcement to invest up to US$60 million over 10 years to make its GE Repair Solutions Singapore (GRSS) Center a world leader in power generation technology development, implementation and repairs, GE Vernova’s Gas Power business today celebrated the completion of repair and return delivery for the 100th set of Hot Gas Path components—a key module in the HA gas turbine—from GRSS.
GE also announced the enhancement of GRSS’ repairs scope to include HA rotor repair capability, a crucial service that will ensure the long term reliability and availability of H class turbines over their full life cycle. Including support from the Singapore Economic Development Board, GE’s commitment aims at strengthening repair capabilities globally—with a specific focus in Asia—with the fastest growing H-Class installed base —where GE can achieve significant level of self-sufficiency (up to 90%) for repair of heavy-duty gas turbines and a growing H-Class installed base.
“This project marks our unwavering focus to improve our supply chain capabilities and better serve our customers, which is crucial as GE’s largest and most advanced gas turbine will continue to mature and age in the coming decades” said Amol Mody, President, Services, Asia Pacific and South Asia, GE Gas Power.
“Our HA advanced fleet is one of the most responsive and flexible in the industry and can be a great complement to variable renewables sources. In recent years, we celebrated significant growth of our HA gas turbine orders in Asia, mainly to support growing power demand while switching from coal-fired power generation.
“GRSS’ HA rotors repair services will enable power producers to service operating assets with the latest technology, while benefiting from significant improvement to the lead time and support in their outage needs. By investing in our GRSS facility, our customers in Asia and around the world can benefit from high quality rotor services, with faster turnaround times, keeping their assets in reliable operation for years to come.”
The gas turbine rotor is a core component of a gas turbine of the HA and over the lifetime of the plant requires scheduled servicing to keep it in optimum condition. The scope enhancement is part of GE’s global Rotor Life Extension program, which aims to support overall the rotor life-cycle to help ensure parts last longer and operate more efficiently and effectively by leveraging GE’s knowledge to determine the full residual part life.
This capability will also enable greater flexibility across GE’s global repair network, which is servicing a growing installed base of HA gas turbines in Asia and globally. The new capability will help reduce rotor maintenance costs and cycle time with a faster delivery to customers based in Asia, due to simplified logistics and proximity within the region.
“We welcome GRSS’ decision to introduce new rotor repair capabilities in Singapore for GE’s largest and most advanced gas turbine to better serve their customers in Asia. GE’s expansion is testimony to Singapore’s strengths as a location for advanced manufacturing and repair activities. We look forward to deepening our strong collaboration with GE and GRSS”, said Lim Tse Yong, Senior Vice President and Head, Mobility, Industrials and Conglomerates, Singapore Economic Development Board.
GE Repair Solutions Singapore Center
GE has been involved in this service center in Singapore since the 1970s in collaboration with local companies. The site originally performed marine and offshore repairs. The site has evolved to include power generation repairs and servicing of gas turbines.
Since 2019, the center has grown from 250 to ~350 employees in four years, adding positions for both GE’s HA and Aeroderivative repair teams, with the goal to add further jobs to handle more complex repairs on HA turbines. With today’s scope enhancement, the center aims to speed up industrialization through lean standard work methodology in the development of repair processes with new equipment, technology, and capability.
Today, GRSS serves as a HA repair global center of excellence (CoE) and is the first HA repair development center outside of the USA–as well as one of the only four heavy-duty rotor service centers in the world.
In addition, GRSS also serves as an F-class bucket repair global CoE, GE’s largest F-class turbine blade repair service center in the world, and the largest and only GE Gas Power aeroderivative repair service center with combustor DVM coating. In 2021, the Advanced Manufacturing & Repair Technology (AMRT) Centre was established within the GRSS to strengthen repair capabilities in the region, particularly for the HA fleet.
GE’s repair network also demonstrates GE’s commitment to regional innovation, growing of local talent and local supply chains. GRSS, as well as other repair shops in Asia including Phu My in Vietnam and PT GE Nusantara Turbine Services Shop in Indonesia, form part of GE’s extensive network of local repair capabilities for heavy duty and aeroderivative gas turbines in the region aiming to provide 24×7 support and quicker turnaround for customers.
