Global technology giant GE said it has won a $200 million contract from Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) for supply of steam turbines, power generation services and technology besides distributed control systems.

The contract will also include GE's technology for the conversion of (SEC) PP10 power plant from simple to combined-cycle operation.

The project will add 1,300 megawatts to the plant’s capacity, to support the growing power requirements of Saudi’s central region and help the Kingdom meet summer peak demands.

“The conversion to combined-cycle operation is part of our growth plan to add an average of 4,000 MW of power each year, with a vision of doubling the grid capacity by the year 2020,” said Ali Saleh Al Barrak, president and CEO for SEC.

“This new contract reflects our continued trust in GE’s technology solutions and ability to respond to our power generation requirements. In addition to increasing plant capacity by more than 50 per cent, from about 2,200 to 3,500 MW, the conversion will raise overall plant efficiency.“

Commenting on the contract win, Joseph Anis, GE Energy’s president and CEO for the Middle East, said, 'This new agreement is testimony to our growing relationship with SEC and reflects our continued commitment to deliver tailored technology solutions to the Saudi energy sector.'

“As the Kingdom’s energy technology partner, we take pride in supporting SEC’s goal to meet the Kingdom’s growing power demand, with efficiency enhancing solutions that are also flexible and scalable,” he added.

As per the contract, GE will provide 10 of its SC series steam turbines specifically for the PP10 combined cycle expansion. The company had previously supplied 40 7EA Gas Turbines for the PP10 site.

The combined-cycle conversion enables the plant to increase its output without any increase in fuel, boosting its operating efficiency.

In addition to the SC series steam turbines, GE will supply new balance-of-plant mechanical and electrical equipment.

An existing simple cycle Mark Vle integrated control system (ICS) will be expanded to incorporate the entire combined-cycle plant. GE power generation services will include installation, testing, commissioning and completing the combined-cycle conversion.

Shipment of the GE equipment is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2013, with services to start in the second quarter of that year.

The first two combined-cycle blocks at PP10 are scheduled to begin commercial operation in the second quarter of 2014, in time to meet summer peak demands, while the full combined-cycle plant will be on line by the first quarter of 2015.

The Riyadh PP10 site recently entered commercial operation in simple cycle mode and is adding 2,000 MW to Saudi’s grid to support the country’s power demand and boost capacity in SEC’s central operation area by 20 per cent.-TradeArabia News Service