Siemens Power Generation (PG) has received orders for projects in Saudi Arabia totaling approximately EURO 120 million. Siemens PG will build a turnkey gas turbine power plant for Saudi Electricity Company (SEC-COA) Central in Riyadh. In addition, National Contracting Company (NCC) in Al Khobar, a leading power plant construction company in Saudi Arabia, ordered three gas turbines that will be used to expand two existing gas turbine power plants in Bisha and Asir on behalf of SEC South.
The SEC gas turbine plant in Riyadh will be equipped with two 120-MW-class W501D5A machines. The plant will be operated with natural gas, and diesel oil also can be used as an alternative fuel. Siemens PG also will supply the
unit control technology and the fuel supply unit.
Commercial operation is scheduled for fall 2005, after approximately 14 months of construction.
PG is supplying three 110-MW-class V84.2 gas turbines for the NCC plant locations Asir and Bisha. Both gas turbine power plants will be fueled with diesel oil in simple cycle operation. The high demands diesel oil places on the machines require a very robust and reliable design, which is the reason why the customer chose the V84.2 machines manufactured by Siemens PG. The machines will be delivered by March 2005. NCC also negotiated an option for the supply of two additional V84.2 machines worth approximately a further EURO 30 million.
For many years Siemens PG has been a major player in the power generation industry in the Middle East, supplying over 160 gas turbines, including 26 gas turbines to the United Arab Emirates, eight gas turbines to Qatar and 13
machines to Kuwait. As one of the countries with the highest power demand growth rates in the world, Saudi Arabia's current installed capacity of 40,000 MW is expected to increase to approximately 70,000 MW by the year
2020, requiring further investments in new power plants.
"Our gas turbines for the 60 Hz market have been successful in Saudi Arabia for many years. The SEC order is, however, the first order for W machines placed by SEC since Siemens PG acquired the power generation unit of Westinghouse. The NCC order is also the first time we will supply gas turbines of the V design series to Saudi Arabia," emphasized Jens-Peter Saul, head of sales, New Plants and Service, Middle East. "This demonstrates that our broad portfolio offers customers the options they need to meet
their stringent power demands."
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
