GE continues to invest in Russian energy sector

Reinforcing its commitment to support the development of Russia’s energy infrastructure, GE Energy has signed an agreement to build a new facility in the Kaluga Region — about 180 kilometers southwest of Moscow — that will provide services for GE power generation equipment installed in Russia and the Central Asian States.

The agreement to construct the facility was signed with the government of Kaluga Region, the Kaluga Region Development Corporation and the administration of Kaluga City at a ceremony held last evening at the Mansion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow.

The new Kaluga facility will include an office building and industrial shop, and in its first phase will handle the repair and service of GE heavy-duty gas turbine components. GE Energy anticipates that the facility, once fully operational, will employ between 50 to 100 highly skilled Russian engineers and service staff. Commissioning and startup of the center is scheduled for the first quarter of 2011.

“The establishment of the Kaluga service center is part of our multi-step localization plan for Russia,” said Rod Christie, CEO, GE Energy Central & Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS. “All of our work in Russia supports the country’s broader goals to promote energy security, efficiency and reduce environmental impact by utilizing world-class technologies.”

Christie added that GE’s commitment to the region includes “collaborating with Russian companies to supply products, services and technologies as well as ensuring that our Russian customers have full access to all of our technical, operational and engineering resources.”

The announcement to build the Kaluga service center follows the opening earlier this month of a new GE Energy sales, services and technology center in Moscow. Currently, 140 people work for GE Energy in Russia, but GE expects that workforce to grow as the company continues its localization efforts in the country and as customers modernize their energy assets.

The Kaluga service center will include an office building and an industrial shop dedicated to the latest technologies for the repair of heavy-duty gas turbine nozzles, transition pieces, combustion liners, power nozzles and rotors; and the repair and overhaul of Jenbacher gas engines.

GE has been active in Russia since the early 1900s, and today offers the full range of products and services for the countryÂ’s energy sector. GEÂ’s installed base of equipment in Russia includes more than 400 gas turbines, 65 steam turbines, 300 compressors and more than 600 units of additional equipment such as air coolers, condensers, scrubbers and pipes.

In addition, more than 230 Jenbacher gas engines have been delivered throughout Russia, in applications ranging from flare gas reduction programs to high efficiency combined heat and power projects.