GE Power wins Abu Dhabi contract

GE Power Systems and ITM Operation and Maintenance Company Limited (ITM O&M Co. Ltd.) signed a US$ 200-million contractual service agreement (CSA) for the Umm Al Nar power and water plant in Abu Dhabi. The agreement calls for GE to provide planned maintenance services for a period of up to 23 years for the five GE Frame 9FA gas turbines at the Umm Al Nar site.

The service agreement will enable ITM O&M to take advantage of GE's technology and experience in turbine technology, sophisticated maintenance procedures, and worldwide service network. The new plant is the first facility in the Gulf region to use GE's Frame F turbine technology.

The Umm Al Nar power and water project, the largest of its kind in the Middle East with a total project cost of US$ 2.1 billion, was recently acquired from Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority (ADWEA). The plant will be expanded, increasing its power generation capacity from 850 MW to 1,550 MW, in addition to its desalination capacity. ITM O&M has been commissioned to operate and maintain the Umm Al Nar power plant which will begin commercial operations in 2005.