HD Industrial and Technical Services has taken into use an expanded rotor workshop at its facility in Mosfellsbær and can now carry out repairs on two geothermal rotors simultaneously. This development significantly increases the company's ability to respond quickly when faults occur in the key equipment of geothermal power plants.
In geothermal power stations, rotors operate in demanding conditions where steam carries moisture and corrosive substances. Wear and damage accumulate, and when a failure occurs, production stops immediately. Then the countdown begins.
Every day of downtime can have a significant impact on production and the security of supply. If a rotor needs to be sent abroad for repair, response times are often extended by weeks or months. This is where local capability makes all the difference.
By having the analysis, repair and rebuilding of rotors carried out domestically, work can begin without delay, repair times can be significantly shortened, and the total cost resulting from downtime can be reduced. „It's a matter of time – the sooner we get to the equipment, the less the impact will be on the operation of the power station.“ says Árni Jakob Ólafsson, Manager of Hydropower at HD.
In recent years, HD has built up specialised expertise in rotor repairs in a geothermal environment and developed procedures and solutions that take into account real-world operating conditions and the specific stress pattern associated with geothermal steam. This development consolidates the in-house expertise and process development that has been built up, positioning HD at the forefront of repair providers for complex rotor repairs worldwide.
Energy security is not only based on installed capacity, but also on how quickly it is possible to respond when something fails. Shortening response times by days or weeks is therefore not just a technical matter but can result in significant savings and increased operational security for the power station.
This development is part of establishing a robust domestic repair capability.
Árni Jakob Ólafsson, Head of Power Plants at HD: „This is a matter of time – the sooner we get to the equipment, the less the impact on operations will be..„
