GE Vernova, Saudi Electricity Lead First Gas Turbine Outage at Riyadh Plant

GE Vernova and the Saudi Electricity Co. (SEC) completed gas turbine outage and maintenance operations at the Riyadh 8 power plant, a several-block facility with one block using four 7F gas turbines to generate approximately 500 MW. The outage was led by GE Vernova’s Gas Power One Field Services Team and, in partnership with SEC, supported the reliability and efficiency of the plant’s power generation assets.

“We are committed to providing reliable and stable power supply for the Kingdom,” said Abdulaziz Saeed Al-Shumaila, Head of Power Generation Operations in the Central Region, SEC. “GE Vernova’s Saudi-led outage at the 8^th power plant marks a new era in the Saudi power sector, underscoring our commitment to developing local talent. Through our strategic collaboration with GE Vernova, we aim to empower more Saudi engineers and specialists to assume advanced leadership and technical roles within the Kingdom’s energy ecosystem. This collaboration will also contribute to local skills development initiatives, supporting the achievement of Vision 2030 goals.”

Saudi engineers and specialists conducted detailed planning and execution, established strict safety protocols, and delivered the project on schedule with GE Vernova’s Live Outage digital tool, which improves field execution through standardized procedures, tasks, and best practices. The project demonstrated several aspects of Saudi Arabia’s engineering talent development, including:

• Comprehensive training
• Certifications
• Accreditations
• Practical experience

All-Saudi team at PP8 power plant; image credit: GE Vernova

The Riyadh 8 power plant exceeds a 1,700-MW production capacity and helps meet Saudi Arabia’s growing electricity demand and stabilizes the electrical grid in and around Riyadh, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. The Live Outage service team optimized power plant performance and reliability by executing expert maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.

“Our successful maintenance project at Riyadh’s 8^th power plant showcases the Kingdom's local talent in driving a more sustainable energy future,” said Hisham Al Bahkali, President of GE Vernova, Saudi Arabia. “This achievement demonstrates Saudi engineers' capabilities in managing complex energy projects. Our ongoing collaboration with SEC will further advance the Kingdom’s energy transformation and cultivate national competencies.”

GE Vernova in Saudi Arabia

In early July 2024, GE Vernova rolled out the first H-class gas turbine assembled at the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines (GESAT) facility. GE Vernova also entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Export-Import Bank (EXIM)—the deal allows GE Vernova to export its goods and services from Saudi Arabia. According to the MoU, GE Vernova’s export of goods and services will be supported through lending and insurance from the Saudi EXIM Bank. GESAT, both in design and capability, can deliver technology for export and the MoU furthers this export project potential.

GESAT, located in Dammam, is a gas turbine and component manufacturing facility and a joint venture between GE Vernova and Dussur. The new H-class unit will power the Jafurah Cogeneration ISPP and, by 2030, the Jafurah gas field is expected to produce up to 630,000 barrels of natural gas liquids and condensates and over 420 million standard cubic feet of ethane per day.

And in November 2024, GE Vernova and the Ash Sharqiyah Operations & Maintenance Co. completed front-end engineering design studies at three cogeneration plants in Saudi Arabia, examining solutions to lower net carbon emissions. The company conducted a hydrogen-readiness assessment and an evaluation to improve performance and lower costs for the installation of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration systems.