Giant gas turbine moved by road to EGA Jebel Ali in logistical feat

Gas turbine installed at new AED 1 billion state-of-the-art power block, under development by Mubadala and Dubal Holding

United Arab Emirates: Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, today announced that a giant gas turbine, the biggest in the UAE, has been moved by road from DP World’s Jebel Ali port and installed at EGA’s Jebel Ali site in a carefully-planned overnight operation.

The Siemens H-class gas turbine, weighing 457 tons and with a length of 13.5 meters, was transported the six kilometres from Jebel Ali port, using an oversized truck.

On arrival at EGA, the turbine was placed in its permanent location at the heart of a new AED 1 billion state-of-the-art power block which will further improve the efficiency of EGA’s electricity generation.

The entire operation took just over four hours over two days.

The new power block at EGA, which is being developed by JA Power & Water Co, a joint venture formed by Mubadala and Dubal Holding, will be the first in the global aluminium industry to use a Siemens H-class gas turbine, a leading technology in efficient power generation.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, EGA’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “At EGA, we believe producing the aluminium that makes modern life possible is not enough. We must also produce this aluminium responsibly, in ways that support the sustainable development of not only our company but of the entire nation. Use of the H-class gas turbine will do just that, enabling EGA to further improve energy efficiency, saving natural resources and reducing costs and environmental emissions. The arrival and installation of the turbine is a milestone in the new power block project, and we are pleased it has been completed safely and efficiently.”

Dietmar Siersdorfer, Middle East and UAE CEO, Siemens, said: “The Siemens H-class is among the world’s most efficient and powerful gas turbines. The EGA power plant will be the most efficient gas-fired facility in the UAE and will significantly lower emissions and strengthen the industry. Delivering this turbine is only the beginning of our partnership, and we look forward to working hand-in-hand with the EGA, Mubadala and Dubal Holding teams to keep this power plant operating reliably and efficiently for many years to come.”

The new power block at EGA will have a generation capacity of over 600 megawatts of electricity and EGA intends to buy the output for 25 years following commissioning.

It is expected to lower greenhouse gas emissions from EGA's power-generation and aluminium-smelting operations at Jebel Ali by some 10 percent, while NOx emissions are expected to decrease by as much as 58 percent. NOx, which is also emitted by motor vehicles, is amongst a group of emissions targeted for reductions under ‘UAE Vision 2021’ to improve local air quality.

The H-class turbine was built by Siemens in Berlin and was shipped to the UAE by sea.

Once the new power block is fully operational, five older, smaller and less efficient turbines at EGA’s Jebel Ali site will be put on standby for use only in emergencies.

EGA requires electricity for aluminium smelting and other industrial operations. EGA runs power plants at its sites in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah with a current combined generating capacity of 5,450 megawatts, making the company the largest power-producer in the UAE after the Dubai and Abu Dhabi utilities. EGA’s power fleet is already amongst the most efficient fleet in the Middle East.

-Ends-

Contacts at EGA:
Simon Buerk
sbuerk@ega.ae
056 3111 536

About EGA

Emirates Global Aluminium is equally-owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai.

It is the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas industry, and the largest company jointly owned by the two Emirates.

EGA is an integrated aluminium producer, with operations from bauxite mining to the production of cast primary aluminium. EGA operates aluminium smelters in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah, an alumina refinery in Al Taweelah and a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea.

EGA’s aluminium is the second largest made-in-the UAE export after oil and gas. In 2018, EGA produced 2.6 million tonnes of cast metal. EGA is the only UAE producer and makes the UAE the fifth largest aluminium producing nation in the world.

EGA has more than 350 customers in over 60 countries. Over 80 per cent of EGA’s production is value added products, one of the highest proportions of any aluminium company in the world.

EGA’s aluminium is primarily used in the construction, automotive, packaging, aerospace and electronics industries.

Over 10 per cent of EGA’s aluminium production is sold in the UAE to around 26 downstream aluminium companies that make products with EGA’s aluminium. The growing broader aluminium sector in the UAE supports 60,950 jobs. EGA itself employs over 7,000 of these people including almost 1,200 UAE Nationals.

EGA has focused on technology development for over 25 years. EGA has used its own technology for every smelter expansion since the 1990s and has retrofitted all its older production lines. In 2016 EGA became the first UAE industrial company to licence its core industrial process technology internationally.

As a corporate citizen of the UAE, EGA aspires in all its operations to be measured amongst the world’s leading metals and mining companies in meeting its environmental and social responsibilities. In 2017, EGA became the first Middle East headquartered company to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, a global programme to foster greater sustainability and transparency in the aluminium industry. In 2019, EGA’s Al Taweelah site became the first in the Middle East to receive certification from ASI for its sustainability practices and performance. ASI certification is the aluminium industry’s internationally recognised standard for environmental and social performance and governance.

EGA was formed in 2014 through the merger of Dubai Aluminium and Emirates Aluminium.

EGA’s Jebel Ali aluminium smelter began production as DUBAL in 1979. At almost five square kilometres, this site is five times bigger than Dubai Mall.

EMAL started production in 2009 and its Al Taweelah aluminium smelter was the largest single-site aluminium smelter in the world when completed. EGA’s Al Taweelah site is five times bigger than Al Maryah Island at six square kilometres.

EGA has its own power stations at both sites, producing electricity to meet its needs. EGA’s electricity generation capacity is 5,450 megawatts, making EGA the third largest electricity generator in the UAE after the Dubai and Abu Dhabi utilities. EGA also produces water through desalination units at its power plants.

EGA began production at Al Taweelah alumina refinery in April 2019. EGA’s alumina refinery is the first in the UAE and only the second in the Middle East. The project reduces the UAE’s dependence on imported alumina and will supply 40 per cent of EGA’s needs once fully ramped-up.

Bauxite exports from Guinea Alumina Corporation, EGA’s wholly-owned subsidiary in Guinea, began in August 2019. The GAC project is one of the largest greenfield investments in Guinea in over 40 years. 

For more information on EGA please visit www.ega.ae. 

© Press Release 2020