GE has received a contract from Mass Global Investment Company to provide eight advanced gas turbines for a new power plant in Bismayah, 30 km from Iraqi capital Baghdad
The three GW Bismayah plant will be able to generate the equivalent power needed to supply more than five million Iraqi households in Bismayah and Baghdad.
The project marks the first-of-its-kind independent power producer (IPP) deal between Iraq?s Ministry of Electricity and Mass Global Investment Company. It also is the first IPP project by Mass Global Investment Company outside Kurdistan Region of Iraq, according to the company.
GE?s advanced F-class gas turbines are well-suited for combined-cycle applications with 99.8 per cent average reliability. Fast start reduces time across the entire start sequence, lowering startup emissions, while the enhanced compressor increases reliability and availability in addition to reducing periodic inspections and maintenance costs.
Aziz Koleilat, CEO of GE Iraq and Levant, said, ?The Bismayah plant is truly a landmark partnership that will help meet the country?s increasing need for power. By building a gas-fired power plant, the Ministry of Electricity and Mass Global Investment Company are seeking to increase the judicious use of the country?s rich resources.?
According to the Iraq Energy Outlook by International Energy Agency, Iraq needs to boost its power generation capacity by nearly 70 per cent to meet its needs, while over 70 GW of additional installed capacity is needed by 2035, with a focus on moving away from the traditional oil-fired power mix to more efficient gas-fired generation.
The gas-fired Bismayah plant helps meets the larger development goals of the country with GE to supply eight units of its advanced 9F.03 gas turbines. The project will be developed in two phases, each consisting of two blocks of 1,500 MW each. Mass Global Investment Company has signed the EPC contract for the project with ENKA and is currently finalising the plans for the second phase.
Adel Hamid, minister?s deputy for Projects Department at Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, said, ?Through our partnership with Mass Global Investment Company, which has proven expertise in power generation, we are also bringing advanced technologies in power generation through global companies such as GE for greater operational efficiency. We are committed to developing the power project that will support Bismayah, the largest city development in the country, which will energise the economy.?
Ahmed Ismail, of Mass Global Investment Company, added that the new project will leverage the newest and most-efficient technologies by GE for seamless efficiency and increased productivity.
