Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has signed two agreements with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources to repower 508 MW of U.S. wind power.
The repowering will take place at three projects in Texas. Under one agreement, SGRE will repower 362 units of Vestas’ V47 wind turbines at the Indian Mesa and Woodward wind farms. The V47 overhaul features a hardware and control upgrade, resulting in an increased output of 710 kW from 660 kW (a 7.5% increase) and higher availability for 10 additional years beyond the original design life. The project is expected to be complete by year-end; the sites will remain operational during the installation.
Under a second agreement, the companies have agreed to repower 210 units of legacy Bonus 1.3 MW turbines that were installed at the King Mountain wind farm in 2001. The agreement marks the first 1.3 MW-class repower for any manufacturer, according to SGRE. Siemens Gamesa will provide upgraded materials and warranty and commissioning services. When complete, King Mountain will realize greater reliability for its 268 MW capacity.
“Repowering the Bonus units demonstrates Siemens Gamesa’s commitment to maximizing value for our customers throughout an asset’s lifecycle,” comments Mark Albenze, CEO of SGRE’s service business unit. “The upgrades will improve the reliability of these units by modernizing the turbines to reduce maintenance requirements and sustain overall site availability.”
SGRE says it has been actively maintaining wind turbines from other manufacturers since 2010. The latest repowering contracts with NextEra were signed in the January-March period of this year.
