Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), one of the largest and modern aluminium smelters in the world, has awarded GE and Gama Consortium the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for its new power station (PS 5).

The plant is part of Alba's Line 6 expansion project.

Under the terms of the contract, GE and Gama Consortium  will be responsible to design, engineer, procure, construct and commission the 1,792-megawatt (MW) combined cycle gas turbine power plant with an efficiency of 54 per cent. GE will provide three 9HA gas turbines, three steam turbines and three high recovery steam generators (HRSGs) for the project.

Alba chairman Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa said: “The appointment of GE and Gama Consortium is another significant milestone in Line 6 expansion project. Alba is progressing on schedule and we look forward to the commissioning of PS 5 which will be the largest and most efficient power station in Bahrain and first power station with H-class gas turbine technology in the Gulf region.  

"GE and Gama Consortium have a wealth of experience in delivering industrial projects over many decades and we, at Alba, will rely on their expertise to deliver a top-class power station which will mark a world-class achievement for Bahrain, Alba and GE and Gama Consortium,” he said.

With a capex of $3 billion, the Line 6 expansion project is one of the largest brownfield developments in the region and involves the construction of a sixth pot line, the power station and other industrial services.

Mohammed Mohaisen, president and CEO for GE Power’s gas power systems in the Middle East and North Africa, said: “The contract to undertake the EPC work for Alba’s Power Station 5 is a key milestone in our ongoing partnership with the organisation, underlining our competency in delivering advanced technologies that scale up operational efficiency. GE is deploying its industry-leading 9HA turbines for the combined cycle plant, which is the world’s most efficient with the highest levels of operational flexibility and top-notch engineering performance. By working with Alba’s strong team of professionals, we will focus on the on-schedule commissioning of the project that will contribute further to meeting Alba’s power requirements to scale up production capacity.”

One of the largest projects in Bahrain, the Line 6 expansion project will make Alba the largest single-site smelter in the world. Upon completion in early 2019, the sixth potline is expected to add 540,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) to Alba’s current production, bringing its total production capacity to 1,500,000 tpa. - TradeArabia News Service