GE Completes the First of its Kind Upgrade in the Middle East and Africa at the Nubaria Power Plant in Egypt, Decreasing Fuel Consumption by 3%

GE Hewar | Nubaria blog
GE has completed an upgrade at the Nubaria power plant in Egypt that is being implemented for the first time in the Middle East and African, and the third time globally. The upgrade was implemented on two GE heavy duty 9FA gas turbine that will help Egypt boost power generating capacity before the summer spike in electricity demand.
26 July 2016
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GE Africa (Lagos)
press release
  • GE completed the first of its kind upgrade in the Middle East and Africa on two GE 9FA gas turbines at the Nubaria power plant
  • The upgrade increased the plant's output by 6.7% and decreased its fuel consumption by 3%
  • The upgrade will help improve the power plant's efficiency and reduce operational costs 

GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that it has completed the upgrade of two GE 9FA gas turbine at the Nubaria power plant, located in Beheira, Egypt, and owned by the Middle Delta Electricity Production Company's (MDEPC). The upgrade includes the installation of GE's latest combustion solutions for the 9FA gas turbine including Advanced Gas Path (AGP), Advanced Extendors Combustion and Dry Low NOx (DLN) 2.6+.

This is the first time in the Middle East and Africa, and the third time globally, for GE to implement this upgrade on the 9FA gas turbine. This reflects GE's commitment to bring its latest and most advanced technologies to Egypt to help boost the efficiency of Egypt's energy sector. As a result, the upgrade improved the power plant's output by 6.7%. Additionally, the upgrade improved the power plant's heat rate, which decreased its fuel consumption by 3%.

Eng. Mohamed El Abd, Chairman of Middle Delta Electricity Production Company, said: "Installing GE's advanced technologies will help us enhance the operational efficiency and reduce fuel consumption of our existing power plants. This upgrade will also help increase the output of the Nubaria power plant to be able to meet peak demand as we approach the summer."

The Nubaria power plant is a combined cycle plant that is powered by two GE 9FA gas turbines and a 3-casing reaction technology steam turbine from Alstom that generates a total of 750 megawatts. It is worth nothing that GE acquired Alstom Power and these capabilities in November 2015. By implementing this upgrade, the efficiency and availability of the combined cycle has been improved.

Egypt Powers Up as Hot Summer Months of Ramadan Approach

Egypt Powers Up as Hot Summer Months of Ramadan Approach

Egypt has struggled with a serious energy crisis in recent years, with parts of the country, in 2014, experiencing as many as six power cuts a day for up to two hours at a time as the demand for electricity hit a record high of 27,700 megawatts daily - 20% more than the country's power stations could provide. According to GE, there is "good news for millions of Egyptians and countless industrial firms and companies" as GE and its partners "race against the sun and rising temperatures to add more gigawatts (GW) of new power to the grid. More about GE in Africa in this BRIEFING.

Amir Hafzalla, Managing Director, Power Services, GE Power for East Med, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, added: "We are proud to be partnering with the Middle Delta Electricity Production Company to bring the first of its kind upgrade in the region to the Nubaria power plant. We are keen to continue working together to further support the Government's goals for the energy sector by implementing unique and innovative solutions to help meet Egypt's growing electricity needs."

This upgrade is also expected to improve the GE 9FA's availability by 3.7%, allowing the unit to operate continuously for four years without any shutdowns. Additionally, the lifecycle of the newly installed parts has doubled from six years previously to 12 years.

This project is a true reflection of GE's continued support to the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy's goal to complete the maintenance and upgrade of existing power plants before the summer. It also reflects the company's commitment to making a positive impact on the quality of life of Egyptians by helping provide a seamless supply of electricity during times of peak demand and particularly during the Holy month of Ramadan.

GE has been a partner to Egypt for more than 40 years; today more than 140 GE gas and steam turbines are installed in country, generating more than 15.5 gigawatts of power, enough to meet the electricity needs of more than 15 million Egyptian homes. GE will continue to work with its partners to boost the efficiency of Egypt's energy value chain, from discovery, generation, transmission, all the way to Egyptians at home.

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