Coronavirus: Construction of 700MW Noor Energy 1 CSP on track, says Worley
Engineering firm Worley has said that construction of the concentrated solar power (CSP) plant is progressing on track despite the impact of COVID-19
Engineering firm Worley has said that construction of the Noor Energy1 concentrated solar power (CSP) plant is progressing on track despite the impact of COVID-19. Once complete, the $4.4bn project will be the world’s largest CSP plant, boasting a 100MW central tower plant (CT), three 200MW parabolic trough (PT) plants and 250MW of photovoltaic (PV) capacity.
According to a statement, contractors from Spain, China, Belgium, Denmark and the US worked to minimise labour, schedule and budget disruption, after bringing in measures to keep workers onsite safe and staff from home connected.
For the continuation of work, Shanghai Electric, the project’s EPC with Noor Energy 1 and the construction subcontractor partners, implemented a specialist virus prevention and control procedure, including supplying PPE to all workers, said Worley.
Worley is providing engineering, technology and technical review support to the project and stated that it has been able to adapt its service as COVID-19 has progressed, with workers staying connected through videoconferencing and regular project meetings.
With global travel restrictions limiting staff movement and many staff unable to return following Chinese New Year, Shanghai Electric replaced them with local workers. With the ability to work remotely, design and engineering work remains largely unaffected, said a top official.
“It’s a credit to every stakeholder involved that this strategically important project has progressed minimising schedule impacts despite facing significant logistical, staffing and supply chain challenges. It is a real testament to the commitment of the UAE to lead on the energy transition and showcases the combination of geographical distribution and strong capabilities of the contractors and subcontractors, to adapt their approach to work around COVID-19, on what was already a technically challenging build,” explained Gilein Steensma, VP (EMEA) of Energy Transition for Worley.
