Kuwait?s first independently owned power and water facility Az-Zour North One Phase 1 is expected to fully start commercial operations by November 2016
Shamal Az-Zour Al-Oula KSC, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Societe Internationale De Dessalement (SIDEM) have commissioned the final power generation unit for the project.
Construction of the US$1.7bn facility has progressed swiftly since that start in January 2014. When fully operational, the project will represent 10 per cent of Kuwait?s power peak capacity totalling 1,539MW and 20 per cent of water generation equivalent to 107mn gallons per day. The project will be fuelled from a blend of local gas and imported LNG. The combined facility of power and water generation represents Kuwait?s cleanest and most efficient source of electricity, according to official sources.
The power plant comprises five GE GTG 9F-3 turbines generating 225.8 MW each, and two GE STG D1 turbines generating 251 MW each.
The water desalination plant will comprise a multiple-effect distillation (MED) unit capable of producing 107mn gallons per day, equivalent of 486,400 cu/m per day of desalinated water.
Shamal Az-Zour CEO Andy Biffen said, ?While this is a very modern and complicated facility, the project has progressed without delays, overspend or technical difficulties, reflecting the skills, efficient organisation and expertise of all those involved.?
The IWPP is expected to be developed over five phases at the Az-Zour site. The overall project will have a total capacity to generate 4,800MW of electricity and approximately 280mn gallons per day of desalinated water.
