GE Expands Repair/Overhaul, Testing Capabilities At Netherlands and Norway Depots.

Business Editors

BRUSSELS, Belgium--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 29, 2001

GE Aeroderivative and Package Services (GEAPS), a GE Power Systems business, has expanded its repair, overhaul and testing capabilities at its Rheden, The Netherlands and Agotnes, Norway depots.

Both shops provide support for GE's LM aeroderivative gas turbines.

Rheden Depot

GE acquired the depot in September 1999 and has greatly expanded its repair and overhaul capabilities. The depot is equipped to overhaul GE's LM1600, LM2500, LM2500+ and LM6000 gas turbines with standard or Dry Low Emissions (DLE) combustion systems.

GE has increased its technical workshop staff and has installed state-of-the-art tooling to increase repair/overhaul capacity and decrease turnaround times. The Rheden depot can overhaul approximately 50 engines per year. The depot offers customers 60-day turnarounds on LM1600 and LM2500 gas turbine repairs. The facility expects to reach this same turnaround time for LM6000 engines in the near future.

The 30,000-square-foot Rheden depot offers customers Level 4 authorization, which means it has large amounts of spares and tools available either in the shop or on site for scheduled or unscheduled work under GE maintenance agreements.

The Rheden test cell is available for LM1600, LM2500 and LM2500+ in standard or DLE configuration for engines operating on natural gas as well as liquid fuel.

Agotnes Depot

The Agotnes depot was acquired by GE in March 2000 and the company has upgraded the facility's capacity including a new test cell to handle testing of LM2500 and LM2500+ engines, with standard and DLE combustion systems.

The facility has 40,000 square feet of repair space, and offers Level 4 overhaul/repair capabilities for LM2500 gas turbines. Turnaround time on repairs has decreased to 60 days on LM2500 engines.

Other Offerings

Both facilities offer overhaul and repair services 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Other support capabilities include:

-- Engines

-- Lease engine programs (gas generators and power turbines)

-- Modules

-- Exchange components

-- Rotables

-- Field service coverage

-- Package-related equipment

-- Classroom training

GEAPS' four depots are GE Centers of Excellence that specialize in a broad range of products, such as GE LM gas turbines, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce gas turbines. In addition to the Rheden and Agotnes depots, GEAPS has Centers of Excellence in Houston, Texas, and Miami, Fla.

Through these strategically placed Centers of Excellence, customers can easily tap into field service support offices around the globe: Seven offices in the Americas, six in Europe and four in Asia.

Future Improvements

By the end of 2001, GEAPS plans to make the following additional technical improvements to both the Rheden and Agotnes depots:

Rheden

-- High-speeding grind process for all LM2500, LM2500+ and

LM6000 compressors and high-pressure turbine rotors to

improve overall engine performance

-- Improved stacking method on all LM2500, LM2500+ and LM6000

compressor rotors to lower vibration levels

-- Improved balancing procedure for LM6000 PC/PD low-pressure

turbine rotor

-- Introduction of shop floor information management system

Agotnes

-- Introduction of shop floor information management system

-- New nozzle test facility for LM2500 and LM2500+ on gas

fuel for all configurations

About GE Power Systems

GE Power is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation technology, energy services and management systems with 2000 revenues of $15 billion. The business has the largest installed base of power generation equipment in the global energy industry. GE Power Systems provides equipment, service and management solutions across the power generation, oil and gas, distributed power and energy rental industries.