GE unit wins $500m deal from Emal

Dubai: GE Energy has received a contract worth more than $500 million (Dh1.837 billion) to supply equipment to power the world's largest aluminum processing complex at a single site. The Emirates Aluminum (Emal) production facility is located close to the Gulf near Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi.

Using natural gas as its primary fuel, the plant will feature Frame 9FA gas turbines, C7 steam turbines, heat recovery steam generators and condensers, all provided by GE Energy.

When phase one of the project is complete, the site will have an installed capacity of more than 2,000 megawatts of electricity to be used in the production of 700,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum. Total production capacity during phase two will reach 1.4 million tonnes of aluminium.

"Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman, are investing billions of dollars to build smelters, utilising the region's abundant and relatively inexpensive natural gas as a primary source for power generation," said Joseph Anis, GE Energy's region executive for the Middle East. "Emal's world-class, green-field complex will set new standards for the aluminium industry in the Middle East."

"This project is a cornerstone of the enhanced industrial sector that is planned to help pursue Abu Dhabi's vision for a diverse and sustainable economy," said Duncan Hedditch, CEO of Emal.