Overview
Our client operates a 750+ MW combined-cycle power plant in New Jersey, featuring two GE 7F.05 gas turbines equipped with Mark VIe (MK6E) controllers and an EX2100e excitation system. Commissioned in 2016, the facility operates as an independent power producer (IPP) in the PJM capacity market.
As any capacity market operator knows, availability is critical to revenue performance, and this operator is no exception. Consistent availability depends heavily on the reliability of the plant’s turbine and excitation control systems, making the MK6E and EX2100e platforms central to day-to-day operations.
The team there takes a proactive approach to controls reliability. This includes maintaining a substantial inventory of critical spare parts such as terminal boards, control cards, I/O packs, and other essential control components.
In early 2026, the plant reached its ten-year anniversary. That milestone also highlighted an important reality: many of those spare parts had been sitting on the shelf for a decade. As with any electronic equipment, relying on components that have gone unused for years introduces risk.
It was a risk they were not willing to accept.
Challenge
The conventional approach would have been to order new critical spares from the OEM and either sell or scrap the existing inventory. However, that path comes with two significant drawbacks: long lead times and high costs.
In the years leading up to this decision, this site and related sites under the same ownership had been working with our controls specialists and repair lab on an as-needed basis. This support was typically focused on repairing failed components or testing and recertifying individual spares at our test and repair facility* in Hawthorne, New York.
That experience raised an important question: was there a more strategic path forward? One that could reduce lead times, lower costs, and most importantly, ensure the full reliability of their entire inventory of control system spares?
Solution
Working closely with our team, a more strategic approach was identified: sending their critical inventory of 60+ control cards to our facility for comprehensive testing and recertification. To maintain operational redundancy, the cards were processed in carefully planned batches.
Each card was tested on fully functional control panels in a simulated operating environment at our lab, with all work performed by experienced controls technicians. Detailed test reports were provided for every component, along with a warranty to support continued operation.
This approach significantly reduced the number of new parts our client needed to purchase, while providing confidence that every card was functional and certified for another three years.
The solution was further strengthened through a Parts Program Agreement, which established volume-based pricing upfront. This gave the client full cost certainty before any cards were shipped, eliminating budget surprises.
During the recertification process, our team also addressed applicable Technical Information Letters (TILs), ensuring that both the equipment and spare parts reflected the latest updates and recommendations.
Results
As a result of the inventory recertification, the MK6E and EX2100e now have fully tested and guaranteed spares on the shelf to ensure reliability and availability of these systems.
They were able to replenish their spares inventory at minimal lead times: 3 to 4 weeks per batch compared to 8+ months for new cards from the OEM.
Costs savings were at least 60% compared to purchasing new cards.
