Manufacturing

SEE expands GE use to wind and gas

14 February 2012

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) is expanding its use of GE Intelligent Platforms’ Proficy SmartSignal predictive-diagnostic software and services.

This follows the energy supplier’s implementation of the SmartSignal solutions in its coal and combined-cycle plants and its desire to provide this same level of protection for all of its critical equipment across all diversified assets.

SSE chose Proficy SmartSignal solutions, which are based on the Microsoft platform and SQL Server 2008 database, in the spring of 2010 to protect its entire large thermal fleet.

With the new agreement, SSE will expand its use of Proficy SmartSignal software beyond its thermal fleet to wind farms and gas storage.

GE has proven its industry leadership and engineering expertise and we’re really excited and having the best monitoring and maintenance equipment across our gas storage and wind farms

Neil Connolly, Scottish and Southern Energy  SSE will begin trials at its Toddleburn wind site, including all 12 Siemens turbines, along with the Aldborough gas storage site, including three Siemens gas compressors. If successful, these tests will lead to further expansion across the wind fleet and incremental gas storage assets.

SSE will also expand implementation across combined-cycle units by adding the Keadby and Peterhead plants in the UK. Covered equipment will include all combustion turbines and generators, steam turbines and generators, HRSGs, feed pumps, condensers, and condensate pumps.

According to Erik Udstuen, GE Intelligent Platforms vice president, Software and Services, the two companies will also be partnering in an unusual and innovative R&D project to develop a software product to provide early warning and location of boiler tube leaks.

“Tube leaks in coal-fired boilers are leading causes of forced outages and lost production,” said Udstuen. “GE will expand upon its initial work in this area, along with SSE boiler-expert and operator feedback. A resulting product would revolutionise the industry, helping operators to minimise the damage caused by leaks, reduce the time to repair, and make repairs during off-peak production.”

Neil Connolly, engineering centre manager of SSE, further explained the partnership: “Through our initial purchase, GE has proven its industry leadership and engineering expertise, and we’re really excited about working with them – and having the best monitoring and maintenance equipment across our gas storage and wind farms.”

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