Keeping the power on

Defective bearing

As Asset Manager for GreenPower, I aim to ensure that our turbines are generating

at maximum power and any downtime is kept to a minimum.

Following the detection of an unusual vibration in one of our turbines we got an early

warning that all was not well.  A subsequent borescope inspection established damage

to the main bearing and confirmed that a replacement was required.

Replacing the component required the use of cranes and heavy lifting equipment to remove

and replace the rotor, with the blades still attached. As the large rotor and blades are highly

susceptible to wind, such lifting operations can only be undertaken within very low wind conditions.

It took five days from the arrival of the cranes to the completion of the work.

Rotor on the ground

Rotor return to position

Ultimately, the successful replacement of the main shaft was not simply about replacing a failed component.

It was about managing the asset through the entire lifecycle of the issue—from detection and diagnosis, through planning and execution, to safe return to service.

Stefan Shaba – Asset Manager, GreenPower