Meet David Martin and Matthew Bunting — the Experts Inside NRG’s Central Repair Shop

Behind the scenes in NRG’s Central Repair Shop (CRS) is a team of experts dedicated to keeping the power flowing.

Among them are Manager, Maintenance Services, David Martin, and Engineer, Maintenance Services, Matthew Bunting, whose fascination with fixing things ultimately led them to the CRS. Though they arrived by different paths, they share the same drive — to understand how machines work, why they fail, and how to make them better. That curiosity, combined with their technical skills, is what fuels their work on some of the most complex challenges facing power plants today.

More than 30 years ago, David joined NRG as a co-op student. After learning the ins and outs of power plants, he found his home at the CRS — a place where he could turn his love of machining, craftsmanship, and precision into a career.

But long before he stepped into his current role, David was already a mechanic at heart. His interest in working on engines began with motorcycles, grew into race cars, and expanded into one-million-horsepower steam turbines. Along the way, he even designed and built high-performance parts for a race car that went on to win multiple national racing championships.

Like David, Matthew has always had a natural talent for repairing machinery. Before joining NRG, he worked in a turbine repair facility serving petrochemical and other industrial clients. His extensive experience with large equipment and fresh perspective made him the perfect fit for the CRS team.

Matthew’s passion for rebuilding and restoring large machines extends far beyond the shop floor. Outside of work, he spends much of his time repairing antique farm equipment, engines, and trucks. “If I’m not fixing things here at the CRS, I’m fixing things at the farm,” Matthew said.

Inside the shop

For anyone stepping inside the CRS for the first time, the scale is striking. This 80,000 square-foot, climate-controlled facility houses some of the largest specialized machinery in Houston, including a massive vertical boring machine.

While there’s no such thing as a typical day for anyone on the team, one practice remains consistent — the morning safety meeting. In a shop filled with large, powerful equipment, a strong safety culture keeps everyone aligned and focused. Once safety and quality expectations are reinforced, the team shifts into problem-solving mode.

“Our team is always prepared for what comes next. It could be internal facility maintenance and upgrades, supporting issues at a power plant, or troubleshooting equipment here in the shop. At the end of the day, our job is to solve problems as they come,” Matthew said.

Rising to the moment

The true test of their expertise came when W.A. Parish Unit 3, a gas-fired unit at NRG’s power plant near Houston, experienced a catastrophic failure after a key generator component broke down and forced the unit offline.

When the damaged component arrived at the CRS, vital pieces of it had completely melted away.

“The condition of the component made the work far from straightforward, and there was no repair manual to follow,” Matthew explained.

To make matters worse, the plant needed to get back online quickly to meet peak summer demand.

Faced with this challenge, David, Matthew, and the rest of their team had to figure out how and why it failed. “Once you understand the failure mechanism — whether it’s related to the design, environment, or operating conditions — correcting it becomes much easier,” David said.

What followed was a blend of engineering intuition, creative problem-solving, and seamless teamwork to restore the component. Thanks to their swift execution, W.A. Parish Unit 3 was returned to service in just seven weeks.

Always searching for new, better solutions

The W.A. Parish Unit 3 project was just one in a long line of custom engineering challenges tackled inside the CRS. David, Matthew, and their team routinely develop solutions that others think are impossible — a track record that has earned them widespread trust.

To keep his thinking fresh, David often connects with professionals outside the energy sector. He attends user groups and events like the Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium in Houston to learn how different industries handle similar challenges.

Matthew also values continuous learning, regularly exchanging stories and insights with friends and peers about past equipment failures, unique repairs, and new tools.

Together, David and Matthew’s knack for looking at something that is broken and figuring out how to fix it is what makes them so effective.

Driven by a shared purpose

For David and Matthew, their work is about more than repairing or restoring equipment. It’s about helping to keep the lights on for thousands of homes and businesses in Texas. That responsibility motivates them to move quickly and deliver high-quality work.

“People take electricity for granted until they don’t have it,” David said. “We want to keep the plants online so the power is there when everyone needs it most.”

For Matthew, one of the most rewarding parts of his job is seeing the direct impact of the team’s work on the grid. Within hours of completing a repair, he can look at his computer and see that a unit is back online because of what the CRS team accomplished.

Pride in the quality of their work — and their entire team

For their extraordinary efforts in helping to bring W.A. Parish Unit 3 back online so quickly, David and Matthew earned the 2025 NRG Customer Experience Impact of the Year Award.

While honored by the recognition, both were quick to credit the entire CRS team.

“Honestly, Matthew and I are probably the last two people in the company who would seek out an award,” David admits. “What makes this meaningful is that it reflects the dedication, talent, and hard work of our whole team. We’re proud of what we accomplished together and the impact it has on our operations.”

That sense of teamwork is part of what makes the CRS unique. For many employees, including David and Matthew, the CRS feels more like a family than a workplace. It’s an environment where people look out for one another and stay because their work makes a difference.

The CRS is home to NRG EnergyServices. With over 40 years of power plant operation and maintenance, plus servicing for a fleet of 25 GW of generating capacity, the team provides a quality blend of experience and fresh perspective for your maintenance and repair needs. Learn more.