Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has signed a contract with GE Energy for a Mark VIe integrated control system (ICS) to be used at its Riyadh Power Plant 10 (PP10).

This advanced optimisation and control technology is designed to improve overall plant reliability and deliver operational and maintenance efficiency over the generating life of the facility.

“The Saudi Arabian government’s stated goal is to add 30 gigawatts of generating capacity to the electricity grid by 2020,” said Ali Saleh al-Barrak, president and CEO of Saudi Electricity Company.

In what will be one of the largest installations of a Mark VIe control worldwide, GE Energy will be responsible for the engineering, supply, and technical installation services for the ICS at the 2,000-MW PP10 power plant, consisting of more than 30 GE Frame 7EA gas turbine generating units.

The plant-wide and turbine control system, developed based on over 100 years of power generation expertise, will be integrated into a single, easy-to-use platform and represents GE’s most advanced control solution available. The ICS system is expected to ship later this year.

“This latest contract for SEC’s PP10 project reflects GE’s continued commitment to provide Saudi Arabia and the region with power generation solutions and quality services to help meet energy demands, ” said Joseph Anis, president of GE Energy for the Middle East.

This is the latest in a series of GE contracts on SEC power projects that are adding much needed support for the kingdom’s demand for power, which is growing at an estimated 8 per cent per year.  It follows GE’s announcement earlier this year for a contract of nearly $1 billion to supply more than 30 Frame 7EA gas turbines at SEC’s PP10 site.

When completed, the PP10 project will increase the power capacity in SEC’s Central Operating Area by 20 per cent, helping to improve the reliability and delivery of power to SEC’s customers.

GE Energy is a regional leader in power generation, with more than 1,000 turbines installed throughout the Middle East providing more than 70 gigawatts.-TradeArabia News Service