Siemens, GS E&C complete two combined-cycle power plant projects in Oman

Siemens Energy and its consortium partner GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C) have completed and commissioned two combined-cycle power plant (CCPP) projects, Sohar 2 and Barka 3, in the Sultanate of Oman.

Both the plants originally went into simple-cycle operation in 2012, to meet Oman's increasing demand for electricity, before being put into commercial operation in combined-cycle mode in April 2013.

With their combined electrical generating capacity of 1.5GW, both plants will increase the country's existing capacity of 4.5GW to about 6GW.

Sohar 2 was built in the Sohar industrial park, which is around 200km north-west of the nation's capital, Muscat, while Barka 3 was constructed in the adjacent area of Muscat.

Siemens supplied the main components for both plants, which included two SGT5-4000F gas turbines, one SST5-5000 steam turbine, three SGen5-2000H generators, the electrical equipment, and the SPPA-T3000 instrumentation and controls system.

GS E&C supplied the heat recovery steam generators and was responsible for the civil construction work, electrical transformers and ancillary systems, as well as equipment installation.

The plants are owned by a consortium of GDF Suez, Multitech, part of Suhail Bahwan, Sojitz, Shikoku Electric Power and the Public Authority for Social Insurance (PASI) of Oman, through the Al Batinah Power Company and the Al Suwadi Power Company.

Al Batinah Power is the owner of Sohar 2 Power Station, while Al Suwadi Power owns Barka 3 and Suez-Tractebel Operation.

Maintenance Oman will operate both the plants.

The electricity generated from both the plants will be sold to Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) in two 15-year power purchase contracts.