Uniper, an international energy provider based in Dusseldorf, Germany, is partnering with GE Vernova to modernize three GT26 gas turbines at the Grain power station in Kent, southeast England. The project focuses on improving efficiency and output while supporting Uniper’s efforts to reduce the carbon intensity of its operations.

Uniper’s Grain power station in Kent, UK.

The GT26 high-efficiency (HE) upgrade is designed to enhance the performance of the Grain power station, ensuring reliable energy supply while lowering operational and maintenance costs. Bill Cliff, Uniper’s power station manager for Grain, Enfield, and Taylors Lane, stated: “Increasing efficiency and the ability to maintain high availability, while lowering operational and maintenance costs, is crucial for the long-term success of Grain power station. We worked with GE Vernova on the validation of GE Vernova’s GT26 HE upgrade at our Enfield power station, so we already had experience of this technology. Investment in our assets to reduce their carbon intensity, increase capacity and maintain reliability for security of supply is key for both Grain and Enfield power stations.”

Previous upgrades at Uniper’s Enfield power station demonstrated the effectiveness of the GT26 HE technology, which increased output by 25MW per unit, improved part-load efficiency by 1%, and boosted baseload efficiency by 1.8%. These enhancements led to annual fuel savings of up to $1 million per unit and extended maintenance intervals to 32,000 hours.

Joseph Anis, president and CEO of GE Vernova’s gas power business in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, highlighted the collaboration: “For years, GE Vernova and Uniper have worked together to build and maintain power plants using leading technologies, and this upgrade marks another example of our successful cooperation. This upgrade is expected to revitalize Uniper’s Grain power plant and to increase its reliability and availability in the Great Britain generation landscape, supporting its long-term profitability and viability.”

By March 2025, the GT26 HE fleet had logged over 100,000 operating hours, with 15 units sold and eight in operation, reflecting the technology’s reliability. In a separate development, GE Vernova secured a contract in May 2025 to supply five 7H-Class gas turbines for the Qurayyah independent power plant expansion in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, a 3GW combined cycle gas-fired facility led by Técnicas Reunidas and Orascom Construction.

The Grain power station upgrade underscores Uniper and GE Vernova’s commitment to advancing energy efficiency and reliability while addressing environmental goals through innovative technology.