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Asif Iqbal
Doha
Siemens, located in the south of the country, celebrated the arrival of the company's 1,000th gas turbine to the Umm Al Houl combined cycle power plant on Sunday. The plant, which is expected to be fully operational by 2018, will supply around a quarter of the country's required power.
"Qatar is witnessing a rapid industrial economic and population growth. With that comes greater demand for electricity and water. Our gas turbine technology will help ensure the Um Al Haoul power plant remains reliable and efficient for many years to come," Siemens Qatar Chief Executive Officer Adrian Wood said at the celebratory event.
Wood said his company would work closely with its partners to make this ambitious project a reality and support long-term development in Qatar.
The new gas turbine weighs 300 metric tonnes and has a capacity of 300 megawatts, which translates into electricity for 108 million people. The gas turbine was brought from the Siemens factory to Berlin's Westhafen port and then to Rotterdam. Upon arriving at the Rotterdam seaport, it was loaded onto heavy cargo vessel, before being brought to its destination in Qatar.
In addition to six turbines that Siemens will supply, the company's scope of supply includes four steam turbines and 10 generators. The German firm has signed a 25-year service agreement for the plant's maintenance and servicing. Siemens has been contracted by Samsung C&T, which is building the entire complex along with its consortium partner Hitachi Zosen.
Umm Al Houl Chairman Fahad Al Mohannadi, speaking at the event, said,"As our country makes big strides towards industrialisation and infrastructural development, this power plant will be integral to boosting its future electricity supply."
Mohannadi, who is also the general manager and managing director of Qatar Water and Electricity Company (QEWC), said the Umm Al Houl plant would consist of two power blocks, with a total capacity of 2.5 gigawatts and up to 138 million imperial gallons of drinking water.
The power plant will ensure adequate power and water supply to accommodate seasonal fluctuations and major commissioning of the first phase is scheduled for 2017, with commissioning of the entire complex scheduled for mid-2018.
