EthosEnergy Signs Big O&M Contract for Iraqi Combined-Cycle Plant

EthosEnergy signed an operations and maintenance (O&M) contract for the 850-MW Maisan combined-cycle power plant located near Basra, Iraq. Under the three-year, multi-million-dollar contract, EthosEnergy will:

• Oversee plant operations
• Conduct routine inspections
• Perform regular and preventive maintenance on all plant equipment

Maisan Power Co. (MPC) operates the plant, which is part of the Raban Al Safina (RAS) Group. This award represents EthosEnergy’s first third-party care, custody, and control contract in the Middle East.

"The signing of this new contract strengthens our partnership with RAS Group and expands our presence in Iraq and its neighboring countries,” said Iain O’Brien, Senior Vice President of O&M, EthosEnergy. “It highlights EthosEnergy’s commitment to growing our O&M business and aligns with our strategy for the Middle East, a region that presents growth opportunities.We are excited about the opportunities this contract brings and look forward to continuing our collaboration. In a region where temperatures can soar to 50º C in summer, we take pride in assisting the local community to secure the reliable power they need.”

Maisan combined-cycle power plant; image credit: EthosEnergy

The facility has two Siemens Energy SGT5-4000F gas turbine gensets, one SST5-4000 steam turbine, one SGen5-2000H electric generator, and additional balance-of-plant equipment. Construction started in 2019, and the plant became operational in June 2022, producing and transmitting electrical power to Iraq’s national grid.

“We are dedicated to developing and investing in the Maisan combined-cycle power plant,” said Saadi Saihood, Chairman of RAS Group. “Building upon our joint venture with EthosEnergy, this contract further strengthens our ability to deliver safe, sustainable, and stable power to the Iraqi national grid. EthosEnergy is recognized as one of the world’s top performers in O&M. Utilizing their engineering expertise and knowledge of best practices demonstrates our commitment to quality and will help ensure power generation in Iraq.”

MPC developed the plant under a long-term power-purchase contract from the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, valued at USD $1 billion. EthosEnergy is executing the long-term O&M contract on behalf of MPC.

In 2024, RAS and EthosEnergy entered a joint venture agreement to build a gas turbine component-repair facility near Baghdad.

O&M in Mexico/USA

In April 2024, EthosEnergy received a multi-million-dollar contract to perform intermediary O&M services for the custody, care, and control of six power assets in Mexico. The six plants involved in the contract, in northern Mexico, add 3.9 GW of capacity to EthosEnergy’s O&M portfolio. Over the next several months, the company will work with the power plant owner to transition the assets into its portfolio.

In March 2024, EthosEnergy opened its O&M performance center in Houston, TX, allowing it to completely manage operational control of power generation assets if required. The O&M center provides continuous real-time start-stop capabilities, asset monitoring and diagnostics, and the support of EthosEnergy engineers to assist a power plant’s long- and short-term energy operations.

EthosEnergy in the News

In November 2024, EP Produzione awarded EthosEnergy a contract to retrofit its Trapani Thermoelectric Power Plant in northern Sicily. As the project unfolds, EthosEnergy will focus on integrity improvements for Unit 1 such as the replacement of exhaust systems and other auxiliary equipment.Over 10 years ago, the plant received a major overhaul: the original OEM partially converted two Frame 9B gas turbines into Frame 9E units. Wear and tear have accumulated on the exhaust system and other components due to harsh operating conditions since then and now upgrades and modifications must be installed.