GE Gas Power (GE) has announced that it has marked a major milestone by synchronising two GT13E2 gas turbines to the national grid at the Zubair Permanent Power Generation Plant in Iraq.
The facility is owned by the Basra Oil Company and located at the Zubair oil field, about 20 kilometres from the city of Basra. GE stated that ENI Iraq BV is responsible for developing the oil field and had awarded a contract to GE for the engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning of the power plant.
Two other GT13E2 units at the site had previously been synchronised to the grid in summer 2020. The new additions have taken the total generation capacity of the site up to 700 MW, according to the statement.
Joseph Anis, president & CEO of GE Gas Power in the MENA and South Asia, said: “With Iraq’s population growing at over 2 percent per year, the demand for reliable, affordable electricity continues to increase. Every megawatt added to the grid can make a significant impact to the quality of life of the Iraqi people.”
“GE is honoured to work together with ENI to support the country’s socioeconomic development by delivering much-needed electricity to power growth and prosperity for present and future generations.”
GE stated that the GT13E2 gas turbines installed at the facility offer industry-leading efficiency in the E-class segment. The technology has clocked in over 14 million operating hours, with more than 190 units deployed in nearly 40 countries. It can also operate on a wide range of fuel compositions without hardware changes and offers a flexible extended maintenance concept that reduces operating costs while saving fuel.
Working closely with the Iraqi Ministries of Finance and Electricity, GE stated that it has also collaborated with private and public financial institutions to help secure over US $2.4 billion in financing since 2015 for energy sector projects across the country