GE Energy Powers Past $3.5 Billion Middle East Orders with 5,000 MW for Kuwait and Qatar

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). Since December 2006, GE Energy ((NYSE:GE))(Atlanta, Georgia) has received orders and commitments totaling more than $3.5 billion for projects in the Middle East. Of this project total, $1.8 billion has just been announced by the company and covers 32 gas turbines representing over 5,000 MW for power plants in Kuwait and Qatar.

In Kuwait, GE will supply 20 Frame 9E gas turbines to Kharafi National for the Sabiya power station. The new power plant will be owned and operated by Kuwait’s ministry of electricity and water and will add 2,500 MW to the state’s power capacity. The project is classed as ‘emergency power’ and will be fast tracked with an aggressive delivery schedule. The gas turbines will be manufactured at GE’s facility in Belfort, France, and shipment is scheduled from October 2007 to June 2008.

The Sabiya plant will operate in simple-cycle base load mode, initially using liquid fuel with plans to switch to natural gas when it becomes available in approximately three years.

In Qatar, GE will supply gas and steam and power plant system services for a 2,000 MW power plant. This will be the largest plant of its type in Qatar and will be owned an operated by the Mesaieed Power Company. The plant is being built by Iberdrola Ingeneria y Construccion of Madrid, Spain. GE will supply six Frame 9FA gas turbines, six 330H type generators and three D11 steam turbines, to be used for combine-cycle base load and part load operation and two Frame 6B gas turbines for simple cycle black start duties. GE’s contract also covers additional plant equipment, technical advisory services, commissioning, performance tests and training. Under a separate contractual service agreement, GE will provide 12 years of maintenance services, encompassing two major inspection cycles.

The first Frame 9FA gas turbine-generator left Greenville, South Carolina in June. The first 6B is currently shipping from Belfort and the first steam-generator from Schenectady, New York in February 2008. Full power output will be reached in April 2010 after 1,000 MW coming into operation in July 2008.

In a second project in the Mesaieed Industrial City, GE will lead a consortium with Korea’s Doosan Heavy Industries in the Qatalum aluminum smelter project. GE will supply four 9FA gas turbines and two steam turbines for a new combined-cycle power plant. The plant will have a natural gas feed and will output about 1,250 MW. The 9FAs will be shipped from Greenville in late 2008, and full commercial operation of the pant is planned for mid 2010. Doosan’s scope includes the heat recovery steam generator and engineering, procurement and construction of the new plant.

Steve Bolze, President Power Generation GE Energy, said, “These new projects in Kuwait and Qatar reinforce GE’s already strong presence in the Middle East, s more than 50% of the installed thermal power in the region is based on GE technology. For example, in recent months we have announced commitments totaling nearly $2 billion to supply gas turbines that will add 6,300 MW of power in Saudi Arabia.”

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