Alba first to use GE 9HA GT

Manama : Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) yesterday announced becoming the first aluminium smelter in the world to use the largest and most efficient gas turbine produced by GE.

The successful installation of the first H-class General Electric (GE) 9HA Gas Turbine (GT) at its Power Station (PS) 5 has made Alba set a benchmark for sustainable power generation, the company said in a statement.  

Alba’s PS 5 is a 1,792 megawatts (MW) Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant with an efficiency of 54%. GE and GAMA Consortium is the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor of PS 5 wherein GE will provide three 9HA gas turbines, three steam turbines and three high recovery steam generators (HRSGs) for PS 5. 

A ceremony was held to celebrate this occasion under the Patronage of Alba’s Chairman of Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa and was attended by Alba Board Directors -- Dr. Mohamed Kameshki and Yaser E. Humaidan from Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and Ahmed Mohammad A. Al Jabr from Sabic Industrial Investments Co.

Alba’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali, Chief Power Officer Amin Sultan, Alba Executive Management along with senior officials from GE Power: the President & CEO Power Services, MEA Joseph Anis; the President & CEO Gas Power Systems Sales, MENA Ghassan Barghout; the President & CEO Gas Power Systems Projects, MENA & India Mohammad Ali and the Global Projects Leader, Gas Power Systems Manuel Valverde as well as the CEO of GAMA Ahmet Ligvani were amongst the key attendees at this ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Alba’s Chairman Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa said: “The successful installation of the GE 9HA GT is a significant milestone for Alba and underlines our commitment to environment preservation and sustainable development.”

During the ceremony, Joseph Anis presented a token of appreciation to Alba Chairman to mark this significant occasion. 

President & CEO of GE’s Power Services Business in MEA, Joseph Anis added: “GE has supported Alba’s vision of growth and operational excellence since the 1970s when we first supplied Frame 5 units for Power Stations 1 and 2. Today, it is our honor to equip and set-up Power Station 5 for Alba in collaboration with GAMA.”