Oil and gas middle
east
The new facilities will offer additional energy for residents and replace
ageing oil-dependent power plants.Siemens Energy and GE Vernova have announced
their support for constructing large combined-cycle power plants in Saudi
Arabia, aligning with the country’s plan to increase its electricity supply to
meet the needs of a growing population.The gas-fired facilities—Taiba 1 and 2,
and Qassim 1 and 2—will be developed in the western and central regions of
Saudi Arabia over the next few years. On June 24, GE Vernova confirmed it would
build the Taiba 1 and Qassim 1 power plants, while Siemens Energy will support
the construction of Taiba 2 and Qassim 2.Siemens Energy’s Taiba 2 and Qassim 2
power plants are set to be among the largest and most efficient in the world.
Located in Saudi Arabia’s Western and Central regions, these projects will be
developed over the next few years, according to reports. The Taiba 2 and Qassim
2 plants are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 60% compared
to oil-fueled power plants. Initially, these plants will connect to the grid in
simple cycle mode in 2026 and will be fully operational as combined cycle power
plants by 2027. Siemens Energy will supply key technologies for these plants,
providing around 4 gigawatts of electricity to the Kingdom. The new facilities
will offer additional energy for residents and replace ageing oil-dependent
power plants. The company emphasised that the new plants will reduce carbon
dioxide emissions by up to 60% compared to oil-based plants. This initiative
aligns with Saudi Arabia’s strategy to develop carbon capture and storage
facilities in the medium term, supporting a carbon-free energy supply.The
facilities are each designed to generate between 1.9 GW and 2 GW of
electricity. GE Vernova announced that it had secured an order for six 7HA.03
gas turbines and two 7E.03 gas turbines from SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction,
the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company for Taiba 1,
located about 60 miles southeast of Madinah city in western Saudi Arabia.
Qassim 1 will be situated approximately 20 miles southeast of Buraydah city in
the central region. GE Vernova also highlighted that its 7HA.03 gas turbines
are capable of burning up to 50% hydrogen by volume when blended with natural
gas. Saudi Arabia plans to invest $10 billion to expand its Master Gas System
(MGS), which involves upgrading compression systems and laying new pipelines.
This expansion is expected to significantly increase the network’s capacity.The
enhanced MGS will make more natural gas available, allowing power plants in the
kingdom to transition from crude oil to natural gas. Constructed in the 1970s
and operational since 1982, the MGS has been utilised by Saudi Aramco to
distribute natural gas throughout Saudi Arabia, primarily transporting
associated gas from fields like Ghawar.