02 April 2003
THE war on Iraq will not affect the construction of the second phase of Al Hidd power station where plants are expected to be ready in the middle of next year, said Minister of Electricity and Water Shaikh Abdullah bin Salman bin Khalid Al Khalifa.
He was speaking yesterday during an inspection of Al Hidd power and water station to oversee daily operations of the facility.
Shaikh Abdullah said that all turbines, machines and parts required for the second phase of the station reached Bahrain before the beginning of the war. Therefore, contractors expect to hand over the project on time. "Our only fear was that international contractors would leave Bahrain because of war, and that could cause a delay in the schedule but, hopefully, all of them have decided to continue their duties."
During the tour, the minister was briefed on the new gas-reducing station (GRS) which comprises two gas regulators and two bath heaters.
He was also informed that there is a plan to add one more gas regulator and one bath heater for emergencies.
Last summer the GRS caught fire due to overheating when the gas regulator and bath heaters were affixed next to each other. To avoid such a problem, in the new gasreducing station, gas regulators and bath heaters have been kept far from each other.
The first line for the GRS starts to operate on April 9 while the second one will be handed over on April 15.
Shaikh Abdullah has also overseen progress on the construction process of the $2.4 million gas treatment plant to separate liquid from gas before entering the gas-reducing station. Construction started last year and will conclude by mid-year.
The new plant will contribute in solving technical fault in the units which may cause power failure in future.
The station includes two separation units and filters. In January 1997, an agreement was signed to execute phase one of the station by the ministry and the construction company. The overall construction plan for the plant includes three stages.
The output capacity of phase one is 272 megawatts of electricity and 30 million gallons per day of desalinated water. Some 700 megawatts of electricity will be added in phase two, and 60 million gallons per day of desalinated water will be produced in phase three.
Once the three phases are completed, the plant will have an output capacity of approximately 900 megawatts of power and 90 million gallons per day of desalinated water.
The trial operation started in June 1999. Phase one was commissioned, and the plant was taken over by the ministry in February 2000.
Phase one includes the supply and installation of two gas-turbine units, each with the capacity of 136 megawatts in addition to four multi-stage flash desalination units, each with a capacity of 7.5 million imperial gallons per day.
More than BD300 million is the cost of construction of the second phase of the station which started in September 2001.
The second phase includes three gas-turbine units, one of which has started generating 140 megawatts daily, coupled with three supplementary fired-heat recovery steam generators and one steam turbine with a capacity of 280 megawatts. The second phase will not include water production but will supply an ample quantity of steam, essential for the water-desalination process for the third phase.
During construction of the second phase, which will conclude next year, the ministry will bear in mind protecting the environment and respecting international environmental policies. Jellyfish in a large quantity, which clog seawater intake pipes, are the prime problems at the seawater entrance during low tide and GRS, causing technical failures in the station.
Shaikh Abdullah said: "We have started comprehensive maintenance operations for all power and water stations in order to get ready for the high demand of electricity during summer." For the summer, the power capacity will reach 1,835 megawatts while the demand of electricity is expected to be 1,550 megawatts.
The Bahrainisation percentage at the station attained 71 per cent and is considered high for a newly established station.
The minister concluded that as part of the Government's full support and the hard work of the ministry's qualified employees, a series of projects will be organised by the ministry to provide the best services to subscribers.
THE war on Iraq will not affect the construction of the second phase of Al Hidd power station where plants are expected to be ready in the middle of next year, said Minister of Electricity and Water Shaikh Abdullah bin Salman bin Khalid Al Khalifa.
He was speaking yesterday during an inspection of Al Hidd power and water station to oversee daily operations of the facility.
Shaikh Abdullah said that all turbines, machines and parts required for the second phase of the station reached Bahrain before the beginning of the war. Therefore, contractors expect to hand over the project on time. "Our only fear was that international contractors would leave Bahrain because of war, and that could cause a delay in the schedule but, hopefully, all of them have decided to continue their duties."
During the tour, the minister was briefed on the new gas-reducing station (GRS) which comprises two gas regulators and two bath heaters.
He was also informed that there is a plan to add one more gas regulator and one bath heater for emergencies.
Last summer the GRS caught fire due to overheating when the gas regulator and bath heaters were affixed next to each other. To avoid such a problem, in the new gasreducing station, gas regulators and bath heaters have been kept far from each other.
The first line for the GRS starts to operate on April 9 while the second one will be handed over on April 15.
Shaikh Abdullah has also overseen progress on the construction process of the $2.4 million gas treatment plant to separate liquid from gas before entering the gas-reducing station. Construction started last year and will conclude by mid-year.
The new plant will contribute in solving technical fault in the units which may cause power failure in future.
The station includes two separation units and filters. In January 1997, an agreement was signed to execute phase one of the station by the ministry and the construction company. The overall construction plan for the plant includes three stages.
The output capacity of phase one is 272 megawatts of electricity and 30 million gallons per day of desalinated water. Some 700 megawatts of electricity will be added in phase two, and 60 million gallons per day of desalinated water will be produced in phase three.
Once the three phases are completed, the plant will have an output capacity of approximately 900 megawatts of power and 90 million gallons per day of desalinated water.
The trial operation started in June 1999. Phase one was commissioned, and the plant was taken over by the ministry in February 2000.
Phase one includes the supply and installation of two gas-turbine units, each with the capacity of 136 megawatts in addition to four multi-stage flash desalination units, each with a capacity of 7.5 million imperial gallons per day.
More than BD300 million is the cost of construction of the second phase of the station which started in September 2001.
The second phase includes three gas-turbine units, one of which has started generating 140 megawatts daily, coupled with three supplementary fired-heat recovery steam generators and one steam turbine with a capacity of 280 megawatts. The second phase will not include water production but will supply an ample quantity of steam, essential for the water-desalination process for the third phase.
During construction of the second phase, which will conclude next year, the ministry will bear in mind protecting the environment and respecting international environmental policies. Jellyfish in a large quantity, which clog seawater intake pipes, are the prime problems at the seawater entrance during low tide and GRS, causing technical failures in the station.
Shaikh Abdullah said: "We have started comprehensive maintenance operations for all power and water stations in order to get ready for the high demand of electricity during summer." For the summer, the power capacity will reach 1,835 megawatts while the demand of electricity is expected to be 1,550 megawatts.
The Bahrainisation percentage at the station attained 71 per cent and is considered high for a newly established station.
The minister concluded that as part of the Government's full support and the hard work of the ministry's qualified employees, a series of projects will be organised by the ministry to provide the best services to subscribers.
By Suad Hamada
© Bahrain Tribune 2003
