OREANDA-NEWS. March 11, 2013—GE (NYSE: GE) has received contracts totaling approximately USD 500 million to provide equipment and long-term services, directly and via engineering procurement contractors, for the Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) smelter complex in Abu Dhabi. The project is expected to result in lower emissions, addressing the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) goal to achieve cleaner and more efficient industrial growth and enabling EMAL to produce aluminum with better fuel efficiency.

VIDEO: GE highlights how its power generation and services will support Emirates Aluminium: http://youtu.be/xWigKnWgdgQ.

“A reliable and efficient supply of power is key to the success of our mission, as electricity accounts for a significant portion of the cost of producing aluminum,” said EMAL President and CEO Saeed Fadhel Al Mazrooei. “GE is successfully supporting both our Phase 1 and 2 projects with advanced power generation technology, while the new service agreements for Phase 1 offer equipment upgrades to the latest and most efficient technologies.”

GE will supply gas and steam turbines, generators and a plant-wide control system for the Phase 2 expansion project that will position EMAL as one of the largest single-site aluminum producers in the world. In addition, GE will provide its latest technology upgrades for its gas turbines currently operating Phase I of the EMAL complex. The technology upgrades will include GE’s latest DLN 2.6+ combustion technology, which is expected to lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, as well as extend the lifespan of gas turbines parts by up to three times.

GE’s new equipment contract with Samsung C&T, the Korean engineering procurement and construction company building the new combined-cycle power plant for EMAL phase 2, includes three Frame 9F 3-series gas turbine generators and two SC5 steam turbine generators. When complete, the EMAL Phase 2 power plant will have the capacity to generate more than 1,000 megawatts of power to support EMAL’s expanded operations.

GE’s advanced technology 9F 3-series gas turbines deliver power with high efficiency, availability, reliability and low emissions. The gas turbine is a 50-hertz member of GE’s family of F-class gas turbines, proven in more than 45 million hours of commercial service around the globe. GE’s SC5 steam turbines provide high reliability and availability in today’s demanding energy environment and utilize advanced technology enhancements for combined cycle applications with GE heavy-duty gas turbines.

The EMAL aluminum complex is situated in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi. EMAL, a joint venture between Mubadala Development Co. and Dubai Aluminium, serves more than 150 customers in 36 countries.

“The EMAL expansion project is another example of the growing opportunities in the Middle East and worldwide where we can apply our technology for projects that use the power primarily for industrial processes,” said Paul Browning, president and CEO—thermal products for GE Power & Water. “The advanced GE technology and services packages meet EMAL’s growing business goals, as well as the UAE’s overall goals for industrial production.”

As previously announced, EMAL Phase I includes six GE Frame 9F 3-series gas turbines. Under the GE upgrade package, four of the units will receive DLN 2.6+ upgrades and six will receive compressor enhancements and cooling optimization packages. Installation of the first upgrade package is expected to begin in Q1 of 2013.

Under a separate contractual service agreement (CSA), which will replace the existing CSA for Phase 1, GE will deliver long-term maintenance support for GE gas turbines at both EMAL Phase 1 and Phase 2. This agreement will help the complex with improved performance, predictable maintenance costs and will provide access to GE’s latest technology and global experience. To date, GE has long-term agreements in place at more than 700 sites worldwide.

Through all components of the project, GE is tapping into the power of the Industrial Internet to help EMAL’s facility perform with more efficiency and predictability. By connecting data analytics, technological advancements and 130 years of power generation expertise, GE has customized a lifecycle solution that makes EMAL’s assets smarter and more adaptable to their operating environment.

Active in the Middle East since the 1930s, GE’s presence today comprises an array of established projects across the region via strategic partnerships, investments and solutions, with a focus on infrastructure development and major challenges such as cleaner energy and water scarcity. Through business offerings that include power, water, health, aviation and more, GE is able to be a partner in the UAE’s quest to solve its toughest challenges.