Alstom has signed a contract worth approximately €50 million with the Ministry of Electricity in Iraq for the rehabilitation of two units at Khor Al Zubair gas-fired power station, located in the Basrah district, south of Iraq.

Each unit is based on Alstom’s well proven GT 13 gas turbine technology, originally commissioned in 1977.

The project scope includes the upgrade of the units’ compressors and gas turbines as well as replacement and upgrade of the electrical and control systems, a statement from the company said.

Equipment for the project will be produced at Alstom’s factories in Europe and at its Jebel Ali service unit in Dubai.  It is also responsible for installation and comissioning of the unit, the statement said.

The rehabilitation will increase the output of each unit by more than 30 MW , thus adding an extra 60 MW’s to the electricity grid, when compared to their original rating, it said.

The upgrade will also increase the power plant efficiency and extend the life of the units significantly.

The first rehabilitated unit will be reconnected to the Iraqi electricity network in 2012 and the second unit will be connected before the summer peak of 2013, the statement said.

This is Alstom’s second rehabilitation project signed in recent times to rebuild Iraq’s energy infrastructure. The company is currently also rehabilitating unit one of the Najaf gas-fired power station, south of Baghdad, which when completed will contribute an output of 60 MW to the Iraqi electricity network.

In December 2011, Alstom also signed a contract to build the 728 MW Al Mansuriya gas-fired power plant in the Diyala Governorate, northeast of Baghdad, expected to be in operation by early 2013. – TradeArabia News Service