GE Renewable Energy has secured two contracts in the US to supply technology to upgrade hydro plants with a combined capacity of 1249MW.
FirstLight has chosen GE Renewable Energy to design, supply, install and commission a new spherical valve at the 4x292MW Northfield Mountain pumped hydro storage station.
PG&E has selected the company to replace a runner and shaft of the first of three 27MW units at the Caribou One project.
The new valve weighs approximately 90 tonnes and will be designed to improve the station’s flexibility by allowing the unit to cycle approximately 10 times per day more often than it currently does.
The work, which is being supported by GE Renewable Energy’s hydro teams in Denver, is scheduled to be completed in 2021.
The runners weigh approximately 25 tonnes and feature stainless steel material for improved reliability and longevity.
The equipment will be delivered in the first quarter of 2021.
FirstLight vice president of operations Justin Trudell said: “We’re excited to partner with GE Renewable Energy to help Northfield Mountain continue to provide critical flexibility to the New England electric grid.
“The states are investing huge resources in intermittent renewable energy development and large-scale energy storage facilities like Northfield are crucial to the success of the region.”
GE hydro solutions in North America general manager for Pierre Marx said: “These contracts illustrate how GE Renewable Energy’s services teams can support US utilities in modernising their existing hydropower assets and adapting them to the new operating modes required by the increasing penetration of renewables on the grid.
“The upgrades will enable both customers to continue to operate these valuable assets with in a more flexible and efficient manner consistent with the demands of today’s market.”