OREANDA-NEWS. June 01, 2012. Featuring GE (NYSE:GE) technology, the Taji Power Plant has become the newest power project in the greater Baghdad area to begin producing electricity to help Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity (MOE) meet the country’s urgent energy needs. The Iraq MOE has commissioned the new facility, located 20 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, which recently entered commercial operation.

GE supplied four Frame 6B Gas Turbines for the Taji plant, which is generating enough electricity to support about 160,000 households. GE also is supplying similar equipment for two other new power plants in Hilla and Karbala. Those plants are expected to enter service in 2012.

Concurrently, GE is supplying the Iraqi MOE an additional 56 gas turbines for projects across Iraq that are expected to enter service from 2012. These will add more than 7,000 megawatts of electricity to support the expansion of the country’s energy infrastructure and help fuel future economic growth.

“The successful startup of Taji signals the first steps in fulfilling our continuous commitment to bring much needed, reliable electricity to the people of Iraq,” said His Excellency Karim Aftan Aljumaily, Minister of Electricity, Iraq. “This project also marks an important milestone in our ongoing relationship with GE. Teaming with GE, one of the world’s leading suppliers of power generation technology and services, is a cornerstone of our strategy to enhance and expand our energy infrastructure.”

“The Taji power plant project reflects the Iraqi government’s commitment to provide reliable electricity to its people,” said Joseph Anis, president and CEO, GE Energy in the Middle East. ”Working closely with the Ministry of Electricity, we have been successful in executing on our promise to deliver GE’s advanced technology to ensure that additional power is made available to the Greater Baghdad area. This is a significant moment for GE in Iraq and reinforces our growing commitment to the country, where we have been active for nearly 40 years.”

More than 1,100 GE Frame 6B Gas Turbines are operating worldwide, and more than 170 units have been sold since 2006—approximately two-thirds of them for oil and gas and industrial applications.

GE has a long history of supporting the infrastructure needs of Iraq in power generation, oil and gas, water processing, aviation and healthcare. More than 130 GE power turbines have been installed in the country to date. In addition to supplying equipment and services for a wide range of new power plant projects, GE continues to invest in Iraq and increase its in-country presence. As part of its plans for expansion in Iraq, GE has opened three offices in the cities of Baghdad, Basra and Erbil.