GE Receives $500 Million Contract to Supply Power Equipment for World's Largest Single-Site Aluminum Complex
Project is Technological, Industrial Milestone for Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, UAE-July 30, 2008-GE Energy has received a contract of more than US$500 million to supply equipment to power the world's largest aluminum processing complex at a single site. The Emirates Aluminum (EMAL) production facility is located close to the Arabian Gulf near Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Using natural gas as its primary fuel, the power plant will feature Frame 9FA gas turbines, C7 steam turbines, heat recovery steam generators and condensers, all provided by GE Energy.
When phase one of the project is complete, the site will have an installed capacity of more than 2,000 megawatts of electricity to be used in the production of 700,000 tons of aluminum per annum. Total production capacity during phase two will reach 1.4 million tons of aluminum, providing an example of technological advancement in the UAE as well as a cornerstone for the ongoing development of the region's industrial sector.
"Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman are investing billions of dollars to build smelters, utilizing the region's abundant and relatively inexpensive natural gas as a primary source for power generation," said Joseph Anis, GE Energy's region executive for the Middle East. "EMAL's world class, green-field complex will set new standards for the aluminum industry in the Middle East."
"Over the past year we have seen a growing number of opportunities in the Middle East and worldwide where we can apply our gas turbine technology for projects where the power is primarily used by our customers for industrial processes," Anis added. "The EMAL project illustrates our ongoing commitment to supply gas turbines with the reliability and flexibility to meet the demands of these applications."
SNC- Lavalin of Canada and Worley Parsons of Australia have formed a joint partnership to serve as the engineering, procurement and construction management contractors for the project.
"This project is a cornerstone of the enhanced industrial sector that is planned to help pursue Abu Dhabi's vision for a diverse and sustainable economy," said Duncan Hedditch, CEO of EMAL. "The companies supporting this project, such as GE, all have solid records for implementing successful projects in the past."
In addition to benefiting the UAE economy, EMAL is committed to the environment and making sure the production facility meets environmental standards set by the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency.
The EMAL project further expands GE Energy's growing presence in Abu Dhabi and the region. "The Middle East is one of the most important growth areas for GE Energy in the world today," noted Anis. "Since the end of 2006, we have announced more than $4 billion in projects across the region."
GE Energy has been active in the Middle East since the 1930s, and today has regional offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Egypt, along with local service centers in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. The company also has opened power plant offices in the region to oversee local projects.
Emirates Aluminum is a joint venture between Dubai Aluminum Company Limited and Mubadala Development Company and was established in February 2007 to construct the world's largest, single-site aluminum production facility.
About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2007 revenue of $22 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.
About GE
GE is a diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company that is built to meet essential world needs. From energy, water, transportation and health to access to money and information, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com. GE is Imagination at Work.
For more information, contact:
Cynthia Mahoney-White
GE Energy
+1 518 385 5892
cynthiam.white@ge.com
Rosine Feghali
Emirates Aluminium
+ 971 02 509 2290
Ken Darling or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786 6488
kenneth.darling@ge.com
howard.masto@ge.com
