GE’s Frame 9FB Technology To Help Repower Belgian Generating Station

GE Energy’s latest F-class gas turbine technology has been selected for the repowering of unit 1 of a conventional coal plant in Amercoeur, Belgium as a natural gas combined-cycle plant.

GE will supply a Frame 9FB gas turbine-generator to Electrabel SA of Brussels for the repowering project, which will utilize the existing steam turbine building, cooling tower and high voltage lines. Output for the new combined-cycle plant will be 420 megawatts, while unit 1 of the coal plant has been producing 130 megawatts.

Electrabel has selected GE’s 9FA technology for previous projects, but the Amercoeur plant will mark the first time Electrabel will use a 9FB gas turbine, the latest evolutionary step for GE’s F technology. The 9FB is designed to be one of the world’s most advanced, air-cooled 50-hertz gas turbines.

“Repowering projects such as Amercoeur can help address Europe’s need for cleaner power,” noted Ricardo Cordoba, GE Energy president for Western Europe and North Africa. “Our 9FB gas turbines are equipped with the latest Dry Low NOx combustion systems to limit NOx emissions to 25 ppm or less.”

The 9FB gas turbine, site-rated at 283 megawatts for the Amercoeur project, will be manufactured at GE Energy’s facilities in Belfort, France while the generator will be manufactured by GE in Schenectady, N.Y. The equipment will be shipped to the project site in the first quarter of 2008, with commercial operation planned in 2009.

The GE contract also includes installation, commissioning, training of operation and maintenance personnel and spare parts. In addition, Electrabel has signed a multi-year maintenance agreement with GE for the plant. Tractebel Engineering of Brussels (part of the SUEZ Group) will provide engineering, procurement and construction services as architect engineer for the entire plant.

Electrabel is one of Europe’s largest energy companies, managing a diversified range of generating facilities totaling more than 29,000 megawatts. In Belgium, it operates the electricity and gas networks on behalf of the distribution network operators. It is part of SUEZ, a large international industrial and services group.