(MENAFN- Mid-East.Info)
Sharjah, UAE: Sharjah Hamriyah Independent Power Company (SHIPCO) and GE celebrated the 'first fire' of a gas turbine at the upcoming 1.8 gigawatts (GW) Hamriyah Independent Power Plant. Omar Almulla, Chairman of SHIPCO; Chuck Nugent, President and CEO of Heavy Duty Gas Turbine Equipment at GE Gas Power; Mohamad Ali, Senior Executive Director for Projects at GE Gas Power Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and other high-ranking executives were present at the occasion. First fire is a critical test where a turbine is switched on and operated on fuel at the site and it follows several months of installation and commissioning works. Almost all the civil works, up to 85 percent of the procurement, and up to 70 percent of construction and commissioning works at the Hamriyah project have already been executed.
Co-developers GE Energy Financial Services and Japan's Sumitomo Corporation signed an approximately 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with SEWA in 2018 to develop, build and operate the plant. Following financial close in 2019, co-developers along with Shikoku Electric Power Company and Sharjah Asset Management, formed a joint venture company - SHIPCO - to build, own and operate the project, which is the first independent combined cycle power plant in Sharjah. GE is supplying three HA gas turbines, six generators, three heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) and turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the facility. GE's HA technology has set two world records for combined cycle efficiency and is expected to help make the Hamriyah project the most efficient power plant in the Middle East's utilities sector once it is complete. GE will also provide parts, repairs and maintenance services for various equipment at the site for a period of approximately 25 years.
'On behalf of GE, I would like to thank all the individuals involved in helping us achieve the critical milestone of first fire of the first gas turbine at the Hamriyah IPP. This flagship project is anticipated to generate almost 40 percent of the emirate's power once complete, playing an essential role in helping Sharjah achieve energy independence,' said Mohamad Ali, Senior Executive Director for Projects at GE Gas Power EMEA. 'We are honoured to bring GE's record-setting HA gas turbines to the UAE for the very first time to power the Hamriyah project. The HA turbines offer several benefits, including supporting the decarbonization goals outlined under the UAE Energy Strategy. Using three GE 9HA.01 units in combined cycle operations can help SEWA reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 4 million tons per year, compared to current levels - the equivalent of taking up to 1 million cars off the UAE's roads. Moreover, the technology currently has the capability to burn up to 50 percent by volume of hydrogen when blended with natural gas, with a technology roadmap to achieve 100 percent hydrogen, enabling the transition to a cleaner energy future to the benefit of current and future generations.'
GE has supported the development of the energy sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for over 80 years. Today, GE-built power generation technologies are installed in up to 350 sites across the region, generating up to half of the GCC's power.
About GE:
GE (NYSE:GE) drives the world forward by tackling its biggest challenges. By combining world-class engineering with software and analytics, GE helps the world work more efficiently, reliably, and safely. For more than 125 years, GE has invented the future of industry, and today it leads new paradigms in additive manufacturing, materials science, and data analytics. GE people are global, diverse, and dedicated, operating with the highest integrity and passion to fulfill GE's mission and deliver for our customers.
About GE Gas Power:
GE Gas Power is a world leader in natural gas power technology, services and solutions. Through relentless innovation and continuous partnership with our customers, we are providing more advanced, cleaner and efficient power that people depend on today and building the energy technologies of the future. With the world's largest installed base of gas turbines and more than 200 million operating hours across GE's installed fleet, we offer advanced technology and a level of experience that's unmatched in the industry to build, operate and maintain leading gas power plants
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