GE gas turbine technology to help meet Egypt's growing power demand

Under a contract valued at more than US$111 million, GE and its partner Techint Cimi Montubi SpA (TCM) will supply two Frame 9FA+e gas turbine-generators, auxiliaries equipment and training services to the Upper Egypt Electricity Production Company, which is owned by the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company.

The machines will be used for an expansion of the El Kureimat Power Plant, located about 90 kilometers south of Cairo. In combined-cycle operation, the new El Kureimat III plant will add 750 megawatts of power to Egypt's electricity grid.

"In Egypt and across Northern Africa, economic growth is driving the need for increased power capacity," said Joseph Anis, GE Energy Region Executive, Middle East. "The region's proven reserves of fossil fuels and natural gas will complement the growth of conventional power generation, such as gas turbine power plants.

"GE's F technology is an excellent fit in this emerging scenario," he added. "Our F-class machines have demonstrated high efficiency and availability in more than 20 million hours of commercial service worldwide."

GE technology already is well established in Egypt. An existing 750-megawatt
combined-cycle plant in Cairo North II also features two Frame 9FA+e gas turbines, and two GE 650-megawatt steam turbines have been operating at the El Kureimat site since 1997.

In addition to the two 9FA+e gas turbine-generators for the new plant expansion, GE and TCM will also supply additional equipment for simple and combined cycle operation, along with training services. The gas turbines will be site-rated at 256 megawatts each, with NOx emissions limited to 25 ppm. Natural gas will be the primary fuel, with solar oil as a back up.

The gas turbines will be manufactured at GE's gas turbine facility in Greenville, S.C., and the generators will be built in Schenectady, N.Y. The equipment will be shipped in October and November of 2007, with commercial operation expected by October of 2008.

GE's consortium partner for the El Kureimat Power Plant expansion is Techint Cimi Montubi SpA, of Italy. The project is being financed by the African Development Bank, based in Tunisia.