JEDDAH: GE has signed agreements worth approximately $700 million to supply power generation equipment and long-term services for a new gas-fired, independent power plant that will help Saudi Arabia, the Middle East's largest economy, meet a growing need for residential and industrial power. The new power plant, Riyadh PP11, will constitute 15 percent of the power generation capacity in Saudi Arabia's Central region. According to Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Saudi Arabia's demand for reliable electricity is increasing at a rate of 8 percent a year. The new project, Riyadh PP11, is located at Dhuruma, about 80 kilometers west of the Saudi capital city of Riyadh, and will add nearly 1,730 megawatts of power to SEC's grid. Saudi Arabia, which has an installed capacity of 44,000 megawatts, is expected to need about 70,000 megawatts of power by the year 2020. “As the first gas turbine Independent Power Plant for SEC, the Riyadh PP11 project reflects our strategy to engage the private sector in the development of new power plants, and to adopt innovative energy technology to increase the efficiency of our power production,” said Eng. Ali Saleh al-Barrak, president and CEO of SEC. “Working with a global technology leader like GE on this key project will help us meet the need for additional power throughout the Kingdom. It also builds on the strong relationship between SEC and GE which spans over 40 years.” In addition to meeting the rising demand for power, Riyadh PP11 also is designed to address Saudi Arabia's environmental needs. The plant will feature GE's high efficiency, F technology gas turbines and advanced emissions control with Dry Low NOx (DLN) technology, and will use natural gas, a cleaner burning fossil fuel, as its primary fuel. “We are committed to supporting the Kingdom's continued growth by delivering proven technology and experience for independent power projects such as Riyadh PP11,” said Joseph Anis, GE Energy's president for the Middle East.
