Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: The Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Alfanar Construction, and GE Vernova teamed up to switch SEC’s Power Plant 10 (PP10) in Riyadh from running on liquid fuels to natural gas, in a move toward the Kingdom’s carbon emissions reduction goals.
A recent press release revealed that GE Vernova’s Gas Power business commenced the execution of the fuel conversion project for PP10 by switching the turbines to run on natural gas, which has the lowest carbon emissions of traditional fossil fuels.
The project will contribute to enhancing the units’ fuel flexibility, efficiency, and output.
The PP10 is one of the largest combined cycle plants in the world as it is built on a space of 5 million square meters and powered by 40 of GE Vernova’s 7E gas turbines in a combined cycle configuration
Khaled AlGanoon, CEO of SEC, stated that the project will help reduce the carbon footprint and emissions of PP10, in alignment with the Kingdom’s objective to generate a balanced mix of electricity from renewable energy and natural gas by 2030.
He added: "We look forward to working with Alfanar and GE Vernova to convert our power generation assets to natural gas, a lower carbon intensity fuel compared to the crude oil and distillate that currently power the plant."
Meanwhile, Joseph Anis, President and CEO of Europe, Middle East, and Africa for Gas Power at GE Vernova, applauded SEC’s efforts to reduce the carbon emissions of their operations for a more sustainable future.
He added: "With electricity demand being high across the Kingdom due to factors like hot and harsh environmental conditions, a growing population, and the concentration of energy-intensive industries such as oil and gas, smelters, and petrochemicals, the availability of firm power on demand is critical in Saudi Arabia.”
For his part, Jamal Wadi, President of Alfanar Projects, stated that the project reflects the company’s commitment to technological innovation, environmental responsibility, and advancing the Kingdom’s energy sector.
The 7E gas turbine is a robust, proven platform that delivers high availability and reliability. It has a large installed base of over 1,150 units globally, with more than 270 turbines located in Saudi Arabia.
