Texas Medical Center "Takes Flight” With GE Technology

A GE (NYSE: GE) aeroderivative gas turbine, developed with the same reliability, efficiency and emissions technology that powers many of the world’s aircraft, is now powering one of the world’s largest medical centers.

At a dedication ceremony held today, Thermal Energy Corporation (TECO) announced the completion of its first combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. The new CHP facility, with GE’s LM6000 PD Sprint® aeroderivative gas turbine at its heart, is providing 48 megawatts of power. The turbine exhaust also is being used to generate steam for the physical plant at the medical facility.

"In early August, Texas experienced the highest single-day electricity demand in history, and TECO didn’t have to buy one kilowatt from the electric grid to serve the Texas Medical Center’s thermal loads,” said Stephen K. Swinson, president and CEO of TECO. "That was possible because of the new combined heat and power plant being celebrated today. In essence, our 48-MW, highly efficient plant ensured that other, older, lower-efficiency plants in the state didn’t have to come online to meet that need. Since energy efficiency equates to environmental stewardship, all of us are winners because of TECO’s new CHP plant.”

TECO’s highly efficient CHP plant will reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 305,455 tons per year than would be the case if the heat and power were purchased separately off the grid—the equivalent of removing 53,000 U.S. cars off the roads.

"Using the same technology that has been proven to be cleaner, safer and reliable on aircraft engines through millions of hours of successful operation, our aeroderivative gas turbine is now helping to provide the same benefits to the Texas Medical Center,” said Darryl Wilson, vice president—aeroderivative gas turbines for GE Power & Water. "This project strengthens our commitment to promote energy efficiency. Our highly efficient LM6000-PD Sprint is equipped with the world’s leading dry low emissions combustion systems for aeroderivative gas turbines, allowing this CHP system to achieve efficiency levels of more than 78 percent.”

GE’s LM6000-PD Sprint was manufactured at the GE Industrial aeroderivative gas turbine facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. The overall package construction and testing was conducted at the GE Energy packaging facility in Houston, Texas.

The LM6000-PD Sprint aeroderivative gas turbine is a certified product under GE’s "ecomagination” initiative. To earn ecomagination approval, a product is evaluated for its ability to improve a customer's environmental and operating performance. The rigorous, multi-tiered review process is concluded with an independent, third-party audit to ensure accuracy and thorough documentation of technological performance.

TECO specializes in providing thermal services for its customers, which allows them to concentrate on their primary missions. The nationally-recognized and award-winning central plant, which began operation in 1969, is now owned by nine Texas Medical Center Institutions. TECO expands as needed to keep pace with the service needs of the institutions and operates the largest and one of the most up-to-date campus district cooling systems in the United States.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, health care solutions and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

GE serves the energy sector by developing and deploying technology that helps make efficient use of natural resources. With nearly 85,000 global employees and 2009 revenues of $37 billion, GE Energy www.ge.com/energy is one of the world’s leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies. The businesses that comprise GE Energy—GE Power & Water, GE Energy Services and GE Oil & Gas—work together to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels.