Alba's Line 5 Power Project marked a major milestone when the new 120 MVA 220/33kV transformer and the 33kV switchgear were energised for the first time from the new 220kV system.
The 33kV network will be the point of connection and load transfer for auxiliary systems of the new Power Station 4 and Line 5 Smelter and will also connect to the existing Alba 33kV system in Power station 2.
"We are delighted to have witnessed the first energisation of this switchgear which has been achieved with safety as one of the top priorities" commented Niall O'Byrne, General Manager for the Line 5 Expansion Project. "This is a major milestone for the Line 5 Project since it will enable auxiliary power to be provided for start up and commissioning of the new Power Station 4 and Potline 5 within the set schedule" continued O'Byrne.
The 220kV switchgear and 120MVA 220/33kV transformers are supplied by Japan AE Power and the 33kV switchgear was supplied by Siemens. ETA from Dubai is the main contractor for the Power Distribution System and is responsible for the design and installation works. Bahrain Contractor AMA is responsible for the Building and civil construction works. Mott MacDonald from UK is the consultant to Alba responsible for engineering management and site supervision of the installation.
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Note to editors:
Alba - Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (c) - is a 520,000 tonnes per annum aluminium smelter. As well as its reduction lines and casthouses, the company has a dedicated carbon department and a 1500MW power plant. A 450,000 tonnes per annum coke calcining plant is also in operation at the company's marine terminal. The company was officially opened in 1971 and its shareholders today are the Government of Bahrain (77%), SABIC Industrial Investments (20%) and Breton Investments (3%). The entire plant operates to the Environmental Management System standard ISO14001 and the Casthouses and Marketing are also operating to the ISO 9002 Quality Management System. The company has won a number of awards including the inaugural Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for Industrial Excellence, the International Millennium Business Award for Environmental Achievement and a GCC-wide award for Human Resources Development and nationalisation of the workforce.
Alba's Line 5 Expansion, due for completion in February 2005 will expand Alba's annual production by a further 307,000 tonnes per annum, making it the largest smelter in the world outside of eastern Europe. At a total cost of US $ 1.7 billion, the expansion will create an estimated 500 jobs and will include a new power station, carbon, casthouse and other facilities
For further information, please contact
Irene Karamitsou
Promoseven PR,
Tel: (+973) 225148
Fax: (+973) 229661
Email: irene@promoseven.com
© Press Release 2004
