GE Vernova Expands Saudi Arabian Presence with Gas Turbine Outage Services

GE Vernova’s One Field Services team recently completed a gas turbine outage operation for Saudi Electricity Co.’s (SEC) Riyadh 8 power plant using the Live Outage digital tool to execute detailed planning, establish safety protocols, and reinforce power generation assets. Asma Abaalkhail, Resource Manager for GE Vernova's Field Services unit in Saudi Arabia, offered additional insight on the outage work, how the team trained in preparation, support for past Saudi projects, and more.

Saudi-led outage team; image credit: GE Vernova

TURBO: What technical work did the gas turbine outage entail?

Abaalkhail: Every 4 – 5 years, units are taken offline for inspection, repairs, and potential upgrades. A robust gas turbine outage would incorporate elements of digital monitoring, inspection, engineering recommendations, onsite repair, component exchange, and performance improvements. The specific mix will vary significantly based on customer needs and site-specific operating conditions—in general, the industry has moved toward maintenance intervals of 32,000 hours, which, for a typical mid-merit combined cycle, translates into four years of operation.

TURBO: How did this outage operation support the reliability and efficiency of power generation assets at the PP8 power plant?

Abaalkhail: SEC relies on GE Vernova to perform the outages because we deliver the units back in the most efficient outage duration while ensuring the quality of work and guaranteeing the unit’s availability during summer peak season. Additionally, GE Vernova’s service team is always ready for any forced outages to support customers, returning their turbine on-grid to ensure a stable power supply. This peace-of-mind is what Saudi customers are looking for during their peak demand.

TURBO: How was the Live Outage digital tool integrated into this project?

Abaalkhail: Live Outage is a web-based digital mega-repository of information. So, using large touchscreen monitors and weatherproof tablets, workers follow step-by-step instructions augmented by machinery photos and videos of every operation. Live Outage tracks their progress in real-time with status bars for each task that needs to be completed. Safety measures are built into the standard work and displayed checklists remind the team to wear personal protective equipment or to keep clear when cranes are extracting heavy components from the turbine. As a result, Live Outage helps teams complete their work safely and as much as 40% faster.

TURBO: What training did the Saudi engineering/technician team undergo in preparation for this project?

Abaalkhail: The Saudi team finished days ahead of schedule, an achievement they also credit to cohesive teamwork. Because many crew members had worked together for over a decade and all were Saudi, they quickly fell into step on the plant floor. This achievement was 10 years in the making, following the culmination of comprehensive training, certifications, accreditations, practical experience, and professional development for local talent.

TURBO: How does this project help to satisfy Saudi Vision 2030? What does this long-term plan entail?

Abaalkhail: Improving the performance of existing plants and/or expanding Saudi Arabia’s fleet of combined-cycle gas power plants plays a crucial role in the country’s plan to generate half of its electricity from gas and half from renewables by 2030, paving the way to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060. GE Vernova’s H-class technology aims to support the country’s energy transition and sustainability goals.

Case in point, developing the Taiba 1 and Qassim 1 gas plants is an ambitious project. Expected to be completed in 2027, these natural gas power plants are anticipated to be among the most efficient power plants in the Kingdom and can be configured with post-combustion carbon-capture systems to reduce CO₂ emissions significantly. In addition, 7HA.03 gas turbines have the capability to burn up to 50% by volume hydrogen when blended with natural gas.

Also, this year, the first HA gas turbine was completed at the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines facility in Dammam. The rollout of this first HA unit is a testament to our efforts in further deepening power sector capabilities in the Kingdom, supporting Saudi Vision 2030. We look forward to realizing the gas power projects already announced and contributing toward new opportunities in the years and decades to come.

TURBO: How does GE Vernova plan to support future gas turbine outages and maintenance work for Saudi Arabia?

Abaalkhail: The company continues improving productivity, special tooling, and unit control upgrades. It also identifies the operational waste of outages and provides solutions to perform efficient outages in terms of cost and on-time delivery, with zero safety recordable and zero reworks. Moreover, the ongoing training of our service team and keeping them updated with new productivity tools for emerging technologies and turbine fleets will play a major role in offering high-class service to customer turbine units.

In the Middle East, we will continue to build on our presence that dates back more than 90 years and includes sites such as turbine/generator service centers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Algeria, a technology center in Kuwait, and a gas turbine factory and regional Decarbonization Center of Excellence in Saudi Arabia.