Exeeco Awarded Valve Automation Framework Agreement for RWE npower Power Stations

RWE npower has awarded a framework agreement to Rotork Site Services for the supply of Rotork valve actuators and actuation maintenance services throughout all of its UK fossil-fuelled and cogen power stations. The contract has been awarded to Exeeco Ltd, a Rotork group company with over thirty years of specialist experience of valve actuation services in the power generation industry.

A representative from RWE npower explains: "Rotork Site Services has supplied hundreds of actuators, assisting with the upgrade and prolonged life expectancy of our utilities. We were pleased to award this framework agreement, which provides a commitment for future plant upgrades."

Recently Exeeco has been busy at RWE npower’s 1455MW Aberthaw power station in South Wales, which is undergoing a series of environmental improvement projects including the introduction of flue gas desulphurisation technology in line with the latest European regulations. Exeeco has been installing Rotork Skilmatic SI electro-hydraulic failsafe actuators to improve valve performance in critical areas such as the mill isolation dampers.

Elsewhere at Aberthaw, feed water regulation valves with pneumatic actuators, which were causing operational problems and proving uneconomical to maintain, have been replaced. The new valves are fitted with Skilmatic SI electric-hydraulic modulating linear actuators that match the technical requirements for high thrust, fast acting and accurate valve positioning.

Aberthaw has utilised Rotork actuators for many years and has found that the latest ‘non-intrusive’ intelligent features in IQ, IQT and Skilmatic SI actuators provide reliable service with the added benefits of time and cost savings during commissioning. Rotork IQ and IQT actuators have been recently installed on applications including feed system valves, boiler valves and quarter-turn dampers.

Exeeco Sales Director Ian Elliott adds: "This is an excellent demonstration of our specialist capabilities for providing actuation solutions in power stations and puts us in a strong position for the supply of Rotork products in the new build stations planned for the future."

Published: 25th September 2009