GE starts operations of 500MW Iraq power plant
01 May 2021
GE Gas Power has announced the opening of the Samawa Power Plant in the Iraqi governorate of Al Muthanna.
The company had led the construction of the Samawa Power Plant, which is the first new utility-scale power facility to be built in the governorate since 1975. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa Al Kadhimi.
For the first phase of the project, four GE 9E gas turbines have been installed and commissioned at the plant, thus helping the facility to generate up to 500 MW in simple cycle operations. At present, electricity is supplied from the plant through the 132 kilovolt (kV) grid to the city of Samawa, as well as surrounding areas.
According to GE, it had helped strengthen power infrastructure from the north to the south of Iraq. In the north, the technology giant’s teams have helped power liberated areas with the rehabilitation of Mosul’s Al Qayara Power Plant.
In central Iraq, the company is helping to equip, operate and maintain the country’s largest combined cycle power plant – the Besmaya Power Station – which is also central Iraq’s first independent power plant (IPP).
Ahmed Al Abadi, the spokesperson of the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, said: “Our top priority is to deliver reliable power across Iraq. Looking ahead, we know that Iraq still needs to add more power capacity. To that end, we are in process of commencing work on the second phase of the Samawa project, under which it will be converted to a combined cycle power plant able to generate up to a total of 750 MW.”
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