GE’s gas turbine upgrades increase output and efficiency at Kuwait plant

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity & Water (MEW) and GE Power have started implementing Total Plant Solution upgrades at the MEW’s 2,000 megawatts (MW) Sabiya West Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Station. Phase 1 of the project, which included installing GE’s industry-leading Advanced Gas Path gas turbine upgrade solution, has already helped increase the output of two gas turbines in Block 1 by over 6 percent, leading to a combined increase in power production of more than 35 MW. This extra output can be produced without any additional fuel, leading to emissions savings equivalent to taking ~8,000 cars off Kuwait’s roads. Phase 1 helps meet peak seasonal demand during the summer of 2019 and complements the goals under New Kuwait Vision 2035 to improve the quality of the country’s infrastructure and build a more sustainable living environment.

The project follows the signing of Principles of Cooperation between the MEW and GE in September 2017 to drive higher efficiency in Kuwait’s power sector and conduct training programs for Kuwaiti engineers. Once the implementation of the entire set of upgrade solutions across all three blocks of the plant is complete, the facility is expected to increase output by more than 7 percent, leading to emissions savings equivalent to taking ~25,000 cars off Kuwait’s roads.

The collaboration was facilitated by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), the governmental entity responsible to encourage value added direct investments in Kuwait as mandated by Law No. 116 of 2013, in line with the country’s economic development goals mainly attaining to the sustainable diversification of the economy and supporting a leading role for the private sector in the national economy.

Sabiya West provides up to 23 percent of Kuwait’s electricity, and is equipped with six GE 9FA gas turbines and three GE D11 steam turbines. Construction on the facility started in 2009 to address the urgent demand for power in the country through a GE and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) joint venture. GE has provided operations and maintenance services at the plant since 2011.

GE-built technologies deliver over 40 percent of Kuwait’s power today. The company’s investments in the country include the GE Kuwait Technology Center, which serves three core areas for energy sector customers across the Middle East and Africa: training, tooling and engineering.