RIYADH – Further expanding its role as a key partner in providing advanced power generation technology for Saudi Arabia, GE as received a contract to supply eight 7F 5-series gas turbine-generators for the expansion of Saudi Electricity Company's (SEC) Riyadh Power Plant 12 (PP12). The project will add nearly 2,000 megawatts of power to support SEC in meeting its future electricity demands when it enters commercial operation in 2015. PP12 will be one of the most important combined-cycle projects in Saudi Arabia using GE's advanced F-class gas turbines and will be the first application of GE's 7F-5 series gas turbine technology in the region. In addition to the supply of the eight gas turbine-generators, the contract includes technical direction for the installation of the units, spare parts, commissioning support and training. PP12 is part of Saudi Arabia's plans to add 33 gigawatts of power generation capacity by 2020. “GE is a trusted technology partner that has supported almost 40 of our projects over the last four decades,” said Ali Saleh Al Barrak, president & CEO of SEC. “For this important initiative, which will enable us to provide the additional electricity that will be needed to support Saudi Arabia's ongoing economic growth, we have selected GE's proven F-class technology. We are confident that GE's technology will provide the high performance levels needed to make PP12 a successful project.” The PP12 project is located adjacent to Riyadh PP11, an independent power plant also featuring GE technology that will add more than 1,700 megawatts of power to the SEC grid. Earlier this year, GE also announced it would provide steam turbines for the conversion of SEC's PP10 project from simple to combined cycle, which will add 1,300 megawatts of new power to the grid. In December 2011, GE signed contracts with SEC to supply 13 gas turbines for the expansion of six power plants across Saudi Arabia. “PP12 marks another technology milestone for GE in Saudi Arabia, as it will feature the first application of our 7F 5-series gas turbines in the region and is part of our FlexEfficiency portfolio of products,” said Joseph Anis, president & CEO for GE Energy in the Middle East. – SG
