Reliable Turbine Services

Reliable Turbine Services (RTS) is a premier service provider of industrial steam turbine and generator services, powered by Fuji Electric, a world leader in turbine/generator manufacturing. RTS supports customers with both planned and unplanned maintenance on steam turbines and generators.

RTS provides:

• Steam turbine and generator inspections, maintenance and repairs
• On-site (field) repair and machining services
• OEM generator testing and inspection services
• Industrial steam turbine repair services
• Component manufacturing and reverse‑engineering of turbine and generator parts
• Open, Clean, Inspect, Close (OCIC) and turnkey outage management services
• 24/7 emergency outage support

Industries and equipment

RTS has over 35 years of experience serving the power generation and petrochemical industries. The team works on steam turbines from approximately 5 MW to over 1000 MW.

RTS personnel are experienced with virtually all major turbine and generator OEM designs, including (as listed on the website):

• General Electric (GE)
• Alstom
• Fuji Electric
• Toshiba
• Hitachi
• Mitsubishi
• Siemens
• Westinghouse
• Dresser‑Rand
• Elliott
• Murray, Terry, Coppus
• Allis Chalmers

Quality and safety

• RTS operates under an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system.
• The company emphasises timely delivery without compromising quality.
• Safety is described as a top priority, with a commitment to delivering value through continuous improvement in a sustainable and safe manner.

Locations

RTS serves customers nationwide in the United States and also supports projects in Latin America.

Sullivan, Missouri (USA – Corporate / Service location) 858 Acid Mine Road Sullivan, MO 63080 United States Phone: +1 573‑468‑4045

Houston, Texas (USA – Manufacturing / Service location) 1502 Gault Road Houston, TX 77039 United States Phone: +1 281‑557‑0103

Medellín, Antioquia (Colombia – Latin America office) Carrera 43A #19‑17, Office 303 Medellín, Antioquia 05001 Colombia Phone: +57 312‑623‑0630

How to contact RTS

• Main phone: +1 573‑468‑4045
• Customers are encouraged to call to discuss planned outages, emergency needs, or general questions about steam turbine and generator services.

Key points from the website:

• RTS has supported customers in the petrochemical and power industries for over 35 years.
• Emergency services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• RTS positions this as a Rapid Response service for both large and small steam turbines and generators, regardless of OEM.

Scope of emergency services

According to the website, RTS emergency OEM generator and steam turbine services can include:

• OCIC (Open, Clean, Inspect, Close) outage services
• Field and shop repairs
• Engineering and Technical Advisor (TA) support
• Steam path audits
• Replacement parts
• Component manufacturing
• Generator repairs
• Balancing services

These services are offered as part of RTS's turnkey outage capabilities.

Typical applications

• Forced or unplanned outages on steam turbine‑driven or generator equipment
• Emergencies at power generation plants
• Emergencies at petrochemical and related industrial facilities

How to request emergency help

For emergency situations, customers should contact RTS directly by phone:

• Main emergency contact number (listed on the site): +1 573‑468‑4045

The RTS team will coordinate the appropriate combination of field service personnel, engineering support, and manufacturing resources needed for the specific emergency.

Manufacturing capabilities

Reliable Turbine Services (RTS) operates a state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing facility that supports turbine and generator component manufacturing.

From the website:

• The facility is ISO 9001:2015 certified.
• RTS Manufacturing can reverse‑engineer and replicate virtually any type of turbine or generator component in service today.
• The team stocks a wide range of blade materials in‑house.

Typical manufactured or refurbished components include turbine blades/buckets and various rotor and casing components used in steam turbines and generators.

Selecting blade materials and coatings

The FAQ notes that when customers are considering upgraded materials and/or coatings for blade replacement, RTS:

• Works closely with customers to understand operating temperature, atmosphere and steam conditions.
• Uses this information to recommend an appropriate blade material and/or coating for the specific application.

Groove repairs and blade fit

When an entire row of blades is being replaced and the rotor groove shows extensive wear or damage, the FAQ explains that:

• Cleaning up and repairing the groove often means the existing blade design will most likely not fit as originally designed.
• RTS collaborates with customers if a design change is needed.
• RTS can supply custom groove tools to help ensure a precise fit when loading new blades.
• RTS can also supply root plug samples so customers can confirm blade fit prior to full‑scale manufacturing.

Shot peening of blade roots

The FAQ describes shot peening of steam turbine blade roots as a process used to help:

• Reduce the formation of surface cracks and imperfections where fatigue cracks typically begin.

This treatment is part of RTS's focus on extending component life and improving reliability.

Lead times (examples from the site)

As an example, the FAQ states that, depending on bucket size and shape, a small row of buckets (under about 2" tall) can sometimes be delivered in less than 10 days.

Actual lead times depend on design complexity, material selection, and shop loading at the time of order; RTS requests that customers contact them directly to review specific needs and schedules.

How to request manufacturing support

Customers can contact RTS to discuss:

• Replacement of existing turbine or generator components
• Design updates, material or coating upgrades
• Repair versus replace decisions for critical components

Main phone (from the site): +1 573‑468‑4045.

Field repair capabilities

Reliable Turbine Services (RTS) provides on‑site (field) repair services for industrial steam turbines and generators across the United States.

According to the website, RTS field repair services include:

• Deployment of skilled, safety‑certified repair technicians
• On‑site machining and refurbishment using portable equipment
• Support for both planned and emergent repairs during outages

RTS emphasises that its field repair personnel are frequently trained and are described as among the best in the industry.

Portable tooling and on-site machining

RTS has access to a wide range of portable machining and repair equipment that can be brought to customer sites, including (examples from the site):

• Climax boring bar and similar portable machining systems
• Portable balance machines for rotor work
• Specialized tooling developed through RTS's Advanced Tooling Program

This allows many repairs to be performed at the customer's facility rather than shipping equipment off‑site.

Typical field repairs

The FAQ on the RTS website notes that common types of field repair work include:

• Stud removal
• Valve, journal and thrust collar refurbishment
• Stationary and rotating component repairs
• Stationary and rotating seal refurbishment and replacement

Staffing and response

From the FAQ:

• RTS describes itself as one of the largest non‑OEM turbine repair companies in the industry.
• The company notes that it has a staff of over 50 certified repair technicians who can be mobilised quickly to minimise outage impact.
• For forced outages where the OEM cannot respond promptly, RTS states that it can generally have tools and personnel mobilising to site within about 8 hours of notification, depending on the situation.

How to arrange field repair services

Customers are encouraged to contact RTS to discuss:

• Planned outage repair scopes
• Emergent repair needs
• What on‑site machining resources may be appropriate

Main phone (from the site): +1 573‑468‑4045.

Key points from the website:

• RTS is powered by Fuji Electric, a world leader in steam turbine/generator manufacturing.
• RTS offers OEM‑trained specialists and engineers who test, repair and maintain generators of various sizes and designs.
• Services are available 24/7 for emergent generator outages across the nation.

RTS works with many generator OEMs, including:

• General Electric
• Westinghouse
• Siemens
• Dresser‑Rand
• Elliott
• Alstom
• Toshiba
• Mitsubishi
• Hitachi
• Fuji Electric
• Murray, Terry, Coppus
• Allis Chalmers

GATE 1‑2‑3 generator testing and inspection programs

The RTS GATE program is described as a set of individualized tests and inspection packages tailored to each customer's generator. Customers can select testing only, inspection only, or combined packages.

• Gate 1 Program – Minor inspection with the generator rotor in place
• Gate 2 Program – Major inspection (rotor out) with limited testing
• Gate 3 Program – Major inspection with extensive testing

The goal of these programs is to identify potential issues before they cause failures, giving customers confidence that their generators will produce power reliably after returning to service.

Rotor services (examples from the site)

RTS lists multiple rotor‑related services, including:

• Brushless exciter test, inspection and overhaul
• Field ground detector troubleshooting (RF and optical systems)
• Retaining ring inspection, removal and replacement, plus NDT of retaining rings
• Collector ring repair, replacement and machining
• Complete rotor rewinds and post‑rewind high‑speed balancing
• Radial hydrogen seal replacement
• Wedge replacement and repair of turn shorts
• Terminal stud repair and replacement
• End‑winding blocking and installation of creepage blocks

Rotor testing (examples)

• Insulation resistance and Polarization Index ("megger and P.I.")
• DC resistance and AC impedance testing
• Pole balance tests
• Recurring Surge Oscillography (RSO) testing for shorted turns
• Hydrogen seal pressure testing for leaks
• Borescope visual inspections

Stator services (examples)

• End‑winding resonance detection and repairs ("bump test")
• Re‑blocking and re‑tying of end windings and connection rings
• End‑winding stiffening treatment
• Corona and partial discharge mitigation
• Stator re‑wedging
• Flux probe installation
• Dry‑ice (CO₂) blasting of contaminated stators
• High‑voltage bushing replacement and temporary leak repairs
• Replacement of stand‑off insulators and stator core iron repairs

Stator testing (examples)

• DC leakage and Hi‑Pot testing
• ELCID testing for core faults
• Digital wedge mapping and wedge tightness measurements
• DC resistance testing of each phase
• Bump test/modal analysis of end windings and connection rings
• Corona camera inspections
• Doble / Tan‑Delta / power factor testing
• Thermographic checks for high‑resistance connections
• Inner‑cooled unit testing for certain OEM designs (e.g. Westinghouse/MHI), including transposition and resistance tests, core through‑bolt checks, and parallel‑ring flow testing

Additional capabilities

RTS also notes the following additional generator‑related capabilities:

• Consultant services and root‑cause analysis
• Silver plating (electro‑plating) of bus‑work mating surfaces

For generator inspections or repairs, customers should contact RTS directly to define the scope and appropriate GATE program.

From the website:

• RTS has over 35 years of experience in steam turbine repair and is recognised as an industry leader.
• The team has the combined knowledge and experience to work on any steam turbine used in industrial applications, across many OEM designs.

Manufacturers specifically mentioned include:

• Westinghouse
• Siemens
• Dresser‑Rand
• Elliott
• Alstom
• Allis Chalmers
• Toshiba
• Mitsubishi
• Hitachi
• Fuji Electric
• Delaval
• Murray, Terry, Coppus
• General Electric

Emergency and planned outage support

RTS notes that:

• Its team of experts is available 24/7 to provide services for emergency steam turbine situations, recognising that turbine failures can result in significant losses.
• RTS also assists with planned outages for industrial steam turbine and generator repair services to help avoid emergencies and manage risk.

These services can be combined with RTS field repair, generator services, and manufacturing capabilities to support complete turbine‑generator train outages.

Focus on reliability and quality

To support the reliability of industrial steam turbines, RTS emphasises that:

• Its industrial generator and turbine repair services are designed to meet or exceed most OEM requirements.
• The company operates under an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system, with continuous improvement of procedures and standards.

Service locations

RTS highlights three locations used to support timely industrial turbine services:

• Medellín, Colombia – Positioned to import and export tools for timely services in Latin America.
• Houston, Texas, USA – Equipped to support industrial generator repair services for petrochemical and related industries.
• Sullivan, Missouri, USA – Centrally located in the United States to provide timely support nationwide.

Customers are encouraged to contact RTS to discuss specific turbine designs, outage scopes, and scheduling.

From the website, OCIC capabilities include:

• Providing teams of field service coordinators and technicians to manage entire overhauls from initial opening to final close‑up
• Performing valve inspections, alignments and related activities
• Supplying the tools and knowledge needed for turnkey outage services

Total outage management philosophy

RTS describes a Total Outage Management approach that aims to make outages more predictable and efficient for plant personnel.

Key elements called out on the site include:

• Use of Microsoft Project to build a comprehensive outage schedule before work begins
• Working with customers to understand desired scope, identify possible schedule conflicts and develop contingency plans
• Supporting outage pre‑planning, work‑scope development and outage schedule development that can be issued for competitive bid
• Coordinating RTS divisions – OCIC, Repair, Manufacturing and Generator Services – so emergent issues (such as unexpected part repairs or replacements) can be addressed quickly

RTS notes that it can provide a single point of contact for outage work and that its combined services help reduce change orders and improve schedule efficiency.

Roles RTS can play during an outage

According to the FAQ, RTS can adapt its role to customer needs, including:

• Acting as an independent owner's representative when another vendor has the main outage contract
• Providing Technical Advisors (TAs) and supervisors to support customer self‑performed outages
• Supplying OEM‑trained supervisors, TAs and experienced craft labour familiar with many different OEMs

Cost tracking and communication

RTS notes that during Time and Material outage work it uses a Daily Cost Update process:

• A Project Controls specialist at RTS headquarters prepares a daily cost update.
• The update is sent to the customer by 12:00 PM Central Time each day so that budget status is visible while work is in progress.

Safety practices during outages

The FAQ describes RTS's safety practices, including:

• Treating safety as the top priority at customer facilities
• Conducting an initial meeting or walk‑down to identify potential safety hazards and developing a plan with the customer to minimise risks
• Holding a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) meeting each morning with the field services team to review risks associated with the day's planned activities
• Performing end‑of‑shift housekeeping to keep turbine decks clean and free of obstructions, improving overall job‑site safety

Additional equipment and systems supported

Beyond the main steam turbine and generator train, RTS notes that it can also provide inspection, maintenance and repair services for various balance‑of‑plant (BOP) and related equipment, including (examples from the FAQ):

• Fans
• Gearboxes
• Pumps and motors
• Mechanical seals
• Heat exchangers
• Seal‑oil, control‑oil and lube‑oil systems
• Valves (gas, steam and water)

Customers should contact RTS to discuss outage scope, scheduling and which mix of services (OCIC, repair, manufacturing and generator services) best fits their specific project.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.