GE and Sumitomo sign agreement with Sewa

GE and Japan's Sumitomo Corporation have reached a public-private partnership milestone by signing a 25 year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa) to develop, build and operate a 1.8 gigawatt (GW) combined cycle power plant located in Hamriyah.
Equipped with GE's HA technology, including the world's largest and most efficient heavy-duty gas turbine, the flagship project is expected to be the most efficient power plant in the Middle East's utilities sector upon completion and will enable Sewa to substantially improve the overall efficiency of its operations. The project will consist of three combined cycle blocks, the first of which is expected to come online in May 2021.
Dr Rashid Alleem, chairman, Sewa, said: "We are committed to strengthen Sharjah's electricity infrastructure and provide seamless, affordable power. The proposed plant underlines our focus to promote public-private partnerships to drive a robust power production and management plan that is aligned with local energy needs, as well as the optimal utilisation of natural resources."
"Sewa has a clear vision for Sharjah's power sector, and GE is honored to partner with Sumitomo to deliver more efficient, reliable and sustainable power for residential and industrial users in Sharjah," said Scott Strazik, President and CEO of GE Gas Power. "The project brings together GE's combined strengths in best-in-class technology, local presence, infrastructure and finance capabilities with our expertise in power plant construction, operations, and management."
GE's HA technology has now helped to deliver two world records - one for powering the world's most efficient combined cycle power plant, based on achieving 63.08 percent gross efficiency at Chubu Electric Nishi-Nagoya Power Plant Block-1 in Japan and another for helping EDF's Bouchain Power Plant achieve 62.22 percent net combined cycle efficiency in France. As such, it is recognised for record-setting efficiency in both the 60 hertz and 50 hertz segments of the global power market.
The agreement builds on a history of strong collaboration between GE and SEWA. GE has contributed to the growth of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC's) power sector for over 80 years and GE-built technologies generate up to 60 per cent of Sharjah's electricity today. The company has been at the forefront of bringing industry-leading solutions to support the development of the power sector in the emirate and across the region. - business@khaleejtimes.com