Latest Projects to Help Avoid Power Shortages in the Region
GE (NYSE:GE) today announced the signing of contracts totaling approximately US$200 million to supply power generation equipment and services for two independent power projects in the Kurdistan region of Northern Iraq. The two projects will help support the region’s current and future power needs and the country’s overall efforts to develop its energy infrastructure.
Located in the Dohuk and Sulaimaniyah provinces of Kurdistan, both projects are being developed by Mass Global Investment Company, a leading developer of independent power plants. When the new projects are completed, it is expected that the total electricity capacity of Mass Global-developed power plants in the Kurdistan region will reach 1,750 megawatts, to help meet the increasing power demand.
GE will supply four Frame 9E gas turbine-generator units for the 500-megawatt, simple-cycle power plant in Dohuk; and two Frame 9E gas turbine-generator units to add 250 megawatts of capacity to the plant in Sulaimaniyah, for a total generating capacity of 750 megawatts. The two plants are scheduled to enter commercial service in the second half of 2010.
“These two projects are the latest in a series of independent power projects we are developing to help cover the shortage of power within the Kurdistan region. They also support the Kurdistan regional government’s initiative for the private sector to help meet the energy requirements in this region,†said Ahmad Ismail, Chairman of Mass Global.
“Today’s announcement for the two private power projects in the Kurdistan region reflects GE’s continuing commitment to support energy infrastructure growth in Iraq and builds on our recent power generation agreements with the government of Iraq. This latest agreement also builds on our growing relationship with Mass Global to support their efforts to add much-needed electricity generation capacity in the Northern region of the country,†said Joseph Anis, GE Energy’s President for the Middle East.
Over the last four years, GE has supplied gas turbines for independent power projects developed by Mass Global in the Kurdistan region, which would help to add approximately 1,000 megawatts of generating capacity.
The latest contracts with Mass Global follow an announcement in 2008 that GE will supply the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity with power generation equipment for projects throughout Iraq that will help to add approximately 7,600 megawatts of electricity to support the country’s future economic growth.
GE has a long history of supporting Iraqi infrastructure needs in power generation, oil and gas, water processing, aviation and healthcare and over 120 GE power turbines are installed in the country today.
As the world’s leading supplier of gas turbines, GE is well positioned to help Iraq with its future needs for reliable and stable power generation. More than 6,000 GE gas turbines are installed worldwide and have accumulated more than 200 million of operating experience at high reliability levels. GE’s Frame 9 gas turbines, which will be used for the Iraqi projects, have demonstrated high reliability and performance in more than 450 applications around the world.
GE has been active in the Middle East since the 1930s and has management and project management offices as well as local repair and service facilities to serve customers throughout the region.
