Wood Group GTS Awarded Multiple LM6000 Icon Control System Upgrades

Loveland, CO /PRNewswire/ - Wood Group GTS has been awarded a contract by SOWEGA Power LLC to replace two obsolete and proprietary Woodward Netcon 5000 turbine control systems at the SOWEGA Power Station in Baconton, Georgia. The control systems will be replaced with Wood Group GTS' icon™ controls, empowering plant operators with greater control and the on-site flexibility to meet different plant operating conditions.

The icon open platform control system is based on the proven Rockwell Automation PlantPAx system and can integrate easily with the Rockwell Human Machine Interface (HMI) recently installed at the site by Wood Group Mustang.

"We had very specific vendor qualification requirements. Proven controls upgrades and engineering support experience were important in our selection of a provider," said Brian Alligood from Sowega Power. "The Wood Group GTS icon system's open architecture and off-the-shelf components extend the controls useful life and provide a significant advantage to our plant personnel."

"The need to upgrade or replace aging and obsolete gas turbine control systems is prompting many power plant managers to reassess more flexible and reliable options beyond the proprietary OEM package," said Frank Avery, president of Wood Group GTS – Power Plant Services. "Icon control system upgrades provide a low-risk, long-term solution that removes restrictive operation barriers while lowering the overall plant operating costs."

The upgrades for SOWEGA Power are scheduled to be completed in 2014 and 2015.

Icon controls are part of Wood Group GTS' overall products and services designed to maximize the return on plant operators' investment in gas turbine technology.

Note to Editors
Wood Group is an international energy services company with around $7bn sales, employing around 46,000 people worldwide and operating in 50 countries. We have three businesses – Wood Group Engineering, Wood Group PSN and Wood Group GTS - providing a range of engineering, production support, maintenance management and industrial gas turbine overhaul and repair services to the oil & gas and power generation industries worldwide. www.woodgroup.com

Wood Group GTS is a leading independent provider of rotating equipment services and solutions for clients in the power and oil & gas markets. Worldwide, these services include: power plant engineering, procurement and construction; facility operations & maintenance; repair & overhaul, optimization and upgrades of gas and steam turbines, pumps, compressors and other high-speed rotating equipment. www.woodgroupgts.com

Georgia Energy Cooperative owns Sowega Power LLC.

PlantPAx is a registered trademark of Rockwell Automation, Inc.