GE Continues to Modernize Generator Units of Paks Nuclear Power Plant to Help Boost Reliability of Hungary's Only Nuclear Station

GE’s Power Services today announced it has successfully modernized the fifth generator at the 2,000-megawatt (MW) Paks Nuclear Power Plant, located 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Budapest, Hungary. The generator refurbishment of the nation's only nuclear power station is expected to extend the asset’s life and help increase the reliability of the plant. It also demonstrates GE’s capabilities to service cross-fleet power generation equipment across more than 90 brands. This generator refurbishment is part of GE’s agreement to service eight generators—one per year through 2021.
 
“We are very excited to complete the fifth generator modernization and extend its life 20 years helping to support Hungary’s growing electricity needs,” said Pascal Schweitzer, general manager, GE’s Power Services, Europe. “The project showcases our ability to service other OEM generators in existing nuclear power plants as well as our readiness to support modernizing Paks’ station generators.”
 
As part of the agreement, which began in 2013 and runs through 2021, GE will service the station’s eight, 250-MW, Ganz-supplied generators in the station’s four nuclear reactor units (Paks units 1-4), plus one spare generator. The generators were commissioned between 1982 and 1987.

GE performed the work at its generator services facility in Budapest, utilizing the skills and expertise of both the GE Hungary teams as well as several local subcontractors. High-speed balancing of the generators is performed at GE’s services facility in Wroclaw, Poland, underscoring the company’s regional supply chain capabilities and expertise.

GE is a global leader in services for the global nuclear power industry. It has completed retrofits on 257 steam turbines installed at 103 nuclear power plant units. While GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, the nuclear joint venture of GE and Hitachi, is one of the world’s leading technology and services providers for boiling water reactor stations, the Paks generator projects showcase GE’s enhanced ability to service steam turbine-generators and other equipment for pressurized water reactor (PWR) units, the nuclear industry’s largest reactor segment.