Already a large player in the U.S. natural gas-fired power sector, Siemens Energy Inc. raised it bets this month on future gas growth with the opening Wednesday of its $350 million expansion of its turbine manufacturing facilities in Charlotte, NC.

Siemens plans to build and refurbish gas-fired turbines in a new 450,000-square-foot facility and it has hired an additional 700 workers for the plant, which is adjacent to a similar facility that also employs 700. The German manufacturing firm said it will add another 400 workers by 2014, adding to the 60,000 U.S. workers Siemens employs in its various lines of business.

“This facility will play a vital role in addressing increased demand for reliable, clean and affordable energy right here in the United States and around the world,” said Roland Fischer, head of Siemens’ fossil power generation division.

The plant opening comes at a time when Siemens’ base in Europe is facing mounting economic troubles and at a time of slowing demand for electric power equipment.

When fully operational in spring 2012, Siemens said it will have an “energy hub” in place in Charlotte, providing engineering, manufacturing, servicing and other support functions related to the supply of gas and steam turbines and generators to global markets.

“Nearly 50% of the work in both the steam turbine generator and gas turbine factories is for servicing customer-owned equipment or manufacturing replacement elements for existing generation plants,” said Siemens Energy CEO Randy Zwirn.

Siemens now has the flexibility of building gas turbines in Charlotte or at its similar facility in Berlin, Germany. It can produce 60-Hz and 50-Hz turbines at both facilities with Charlotte producing mostly 60-Hz models for markets in the Americas and Berlin producing mostly 50-Hz for European and other markets.

©Copyright 2011Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.