GE (NYSE:GE) will supply fuel-flexible gas turbine technology for the Kenitra Power Plant, which will help the Office National de l’Electricité (ONE) of Morocco meet an increasing demand for electricity to support the country’s strong economic and industrial growth.
“With their quick installation times and their capability to burn a variety of fuels including heavy fuel oil, our 9E gas turbines are an excellent fit for ONE’s projects.”
GE and its consortium partner, Cegelec SAS of France, have received a contract totaling more than €200 million for the project, which will feature three GE Frame 9E gas turbines that offer the flexibility to burn heavy fuel oil, with distillate as a backup.
The new, 300-megawatt power plant will be located in the harbor of Kenitra, which is 40 kilometers north of Rabat, the capital city of Morocco. The project is part of the Moroccan government’s plan to develop and modernize the nation’s harbors, to help support economic growth. The plan calls for commercial traffic in Morocco’s harbors to increase more than threefold between 2010 and 2030.
“Morocco’s electricity consumption is increasing by 6-8 percent a year,” said Fouad El Kaouri, director for realization of engineering and production projects of ONE. “In addition to helping to meet this demand, the new power plant is a key to the expansion and modernization of the port of Kenitra, part of the overall plan to upgrade six strategic harbors throughout the country. The expansion of the Kenitra harbor will support the exportation of products from Gharb, a key agricultural region of Morocco.”
The Kenitra project marks the second time ONE has selected GE’s Frame 9E gas turbines; three similar machines were supplied three years ago for the Mohammedia project, which also uses heavy fuel oil. “We are very pleased to again have the opportunity to provide technology that will help meet Morocco’s need for reliable power to support its strong economic growth,” said Ricardo Cordoba, GE Energy president—Western Europe & North Africa. “With their quick installation times and their capability to burn a variety of fuels including heavy fuel oil, our 9E gas turbines are an excellent fit for ONE’s projects.”
The 9E gas turbine is the workhorse of GE's 50-hertz fleet. With more than 450 units installed, the fleet has accumulated over 22 million hours of utility and industrial service worldwide. With its flexible fuel handling capabilities, the 9E accommodates a wide range of fuels including natural gas, light and heavy distillate oil, naphtha, crude and residual oil. The Kenitra 9E gas turbines will be produced at GE Energy’s Belfort facilities in France.
ONE is a state-owned company. With more than 4 million customers, its mission is to satisfy electricity demand in Morocco including production, transportation and distribution.
