GE rolls out Made in Saudi gas turbines

GE has announced that it has officially opened the phase II of its GE Manufacturing & Technology Center (Gemtec), in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

The company also revealed its expanded capabilities including the ability to manufacture HA and F-class turbines at the facility. The opening coincides with the completion and delivery of Gemtec’s first 7F turbine to Saudi Electricity Company’s Waad Al Shamal combined-cycle power plant.

GE’s chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt joined senior officials of the company and partners to inaugurate the second phase of Gemtec, which now joins the ranks of GE’s global gas turbine manufacturing facilities such as in Greenville, South Carolina and Belfort, France.

Phase II of Gemtec will continue to develop an integrated industrial ecosystem in the kingdom, through local, Saudi-driven manufacturing, services and research and development (R&D). It creates more than 150 high quality jobs for Saudi professionals and draws on more than 300 Saudi suppliers to provide gas turbine parts that are manufactured locally, said a statement.

The expansion also adds 9,000 sq m of manufacturing space to the facility, taking the total area to 26,000 sq m - the size of 100 tennis courts. In addition to the enhanced manufacturing competencies, the facility offers services and repairs for gas turbines, as well as the first balance of plant (BOP) test and inspection services in the region.

The expanded Gemtec also has a dedicated Monitoring & Diagnostics Center - Saudi PowerGen Efficiency Center (SPEC) - for gas and steam turbines, which opened earlier this year.

Another core component of the expansion is construction of a dedicated building for the Hot & Harsh Center of Excellence. Researchers there will study the effects of high temperature, dust, corrosion, erosion, duty cycle, and fuel harshness on the reliability and efficiency of power plants. This facility - expected to be complete by the end of 2016 - will design and prototype gas turbines and auxiliary components for testing.