Combustion turbine generator H-6 is located at the substation located at 291 Hwy and Salisbury Road in Independence. General Electric (GE) technicians performed a borescope inspection on all the combustion turbine in May 2021. The May 17 inspection on H-6 revealed damage to the compressor section rotor blades.

During operation the rotor in the compressor turns at a high rate of speed to intake air and the suction created can pull in foreign objects. It is conjectured that the unit pulled in pieces of ice during the extreme winter conditions of the polar vortex. This debris caused damage to the rotor blades.

After reviewing the borescope inspection report, IPL staff consulted GE. The GE specialists advised to replace the R0 rotor blades as soon as feasible. The R0 rotor blades were purchased in June 2021 and were shipped to a GE facility in Texas for final adjustments needed for installation.

GE proposal 1568975 dated August 12, 2021 is an estimate to remove the damaged R0 compressor blades and install replacement R0 compressor blades in the H-6 unit. In this same proposal, GE provides an estimate to repair an oil leak around the #1 bearing in the H-6 unit. Any emergent repair work will be addressed separately if determined.

GE is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the City’s combustion turbine generators and, as such, has licenses and patents that makes them a sole source provider for inspections and repairs of GE equipment.