HD completes milestone turbine maintenance work for Iceland geothermal power plant
Extensive turbine rotor repair done by HD ehf in Iceland (source: HD ehf)
Carlo Cariaga
14 Aug 2025
HD ehf has completed one of their most complex turbine repair projects for a geothermal power plant in Iceland, making a milestone for the domestic industry.
Industrial and technical services company HD ehf. has reported the successful completion of a major turbine maintenance and upgrade job on a geothermal power plant by ON Power (Onur Náttúrunnar) in Iceland. Considered one of the company’s largest and most complex maintenance projects ever carried out on a geothermal turbine, the project is a demonstration of the how far the Icelandic industry has come in its specialization in the field of geothermal power plant maintenance.
The maintenance project involved a complete overhaul of the rotor, which is the rotating shaft of the turbine, with extensive repairs. The two stages of the rotor that had suffered the most damage were welded up and rebuilt. New blades were manufactured and installed with great precision where needed. The generator armature was also rewound.
Significant repairs were then made to the turbine’s structural frame – the support system that keeps this heavy piece of equipment stable and safe in operation. Finally, a complete inspection of the entire engine assembly was carried out.
“We anticipate that these improvements will significantly extend the life of the equipment, improve efficiency and strengthen the security of energy production,” says Lýður Skúlason, Managing Director of HD’s Energy and Environment Division.
Upgrading with modern control systems
Aside from the repair work, HD also did a complete upgrade of the computer equipment and sensors critical to the operations of the turbine complex. Finally, a precise balancing of all equipment was carried out under full load, i.e. the equipment was run at maximum capacity and fine-tuned to ensure that no imbalance caused vibration or wear.
This is another milestone as this marks the first time that domestic contractors did a complete balancing of a geothermal turbine in Iceland.
“It is important to build domestic maintenance and response capacity to ensure the operational security of energy infrastructure,” commented irna Björnsdóttir, Director of Energy Production at Orka náttúrunnar. “Sustainable maintenance is not just an advantage but a key component in reliable and safe operations.”
RELATED: HD ehf signs equipment contract for expansion of Svartsengi geothermal, Iceland
Source: HD Industrial and Technical Services
