Gas Turbines

GE to build U.S. plant for aeroderivative gas turbines

GE plans to invest up to $5 million over the next two years to add a second manufacturing location for its TM 2500 and LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative gas turbines.
GE to build U.S. plant for aeroderivative gas turbines
GE's LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine (Source: GE).

GE said it plans to invest up to $5 million over the next two years to add a second manufacturing location for its TM 2500 and LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative gas turbines.

The facility is planned for the company’s existing Global Technology Center in Greenville, South Carolina. GE said the facility would complement the company’s other manufacturing site in Veresegyhaz, Hungary.

“GE’s Global Technology Center in Greenville will significantly increase its manufacturing capability to support deliveries in the Americans region, but also the global aeroderivative growth,” said GE in a release.

GE said it believes its aeroderivative units will help manage power shortages, stabilize the grid, and support renewables growth. Aeroderivatives can start and stop daily and quickly, further enhancing their suitability to support renewable energy generation and grid balancing.

The site, expected to add up to 25 employees, is expected to adopt lean methodologies to drive its transformation: two new lean lines will be created to start manufacturing aeroderivative units from the fourth quarter of 2022.  

GE also announced two orders for its aeroderivative technology.

MORE: GE enhancing support for aeroderivative gas turbines in Australia

In March 2022, West Texas Gas (WTG) ordered two GE LM2500XPRESS equaling 60 MW of power. Each of the two LM2500XPRESS power packages includes a GE LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine modular package and emissions control system.

With what GE said is the units’ ability to start in five minutes or less from cold iron, the turbines will help WTG’s North Permian Midstream plant to process gas. The first unit is expected to be commercially operable in October, while the second unit is expected to be commercially operable by year’s end.

GE also announced an order with Greek construction company TERNA SA for a GE TM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine to support summer peak power needs on Greek Island of Kos avoid blackouts.

GE TM2500 can reach full power in less than 10 minutes with an efficiency of 37% at 60 Hz and 35% at 50 Hz. GE said it offers multi-fuel flexibility operating on either natural gas or liquid distillate fuels.

In Kos, due to the lack of natural gas, the nearly 34 MW unit will be fueled by light distillate provided by a tanker every 2-4 weeks and stored in large tanks. It then will be purified by a GE supplied liquid fuel module and stored in smaller tanks for use in the TM2500 gas turbine generator.

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