Alba celebrates PS5 Block 4 Project milestone with Mitsubishi Power's M701JAC Gas Turbine

Aluminium Bahrain, one of the world's largest aluminium smelters, celebrated a significant milestone in its Power Station 5 (PS5) Block 4 Project with the arrival of Mitsubishi Power's cutting-edge M701JAC Gas Turbine (GT) on October 16, 2023.

This remarkable event marked the installation of the world's first GT designed explicitly for a primary aluminium smelter, and it was expertly placed within the Kingdom of Bahrain. The M701JAC GT, part of the innovative JAC GT series and Steam Turbine, is an air-cooled marvel boasting a combined cycle output of 680.9 MW. Importantly, it offers a greener alternative, significantly reducing CO2 emissions compared to traditional coal-fired boilers and turbines employed worldwide.

In celebration of this achievement, a special gathering took place on October 24, 2023, at the Block 4 Project site. Dignitaries present at the event included Alba's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ali Al Baqali, Chief Power Officer Mr. Amin Sultan, and other high-ranking officials from Alba Management. Representatives from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) included Mr. Takashi Tozawa, Senior Fellow and Senior General Manager of the GTCC Business Division of Energy Systems, as well as Mr. Javier Cavada, President and CEO, EMEA, Mitsubishi Power, and Mr. Khalid Salem, President, MENA, Mitsubishi Power. The event was also graced by Mr. Kong Lingfeng, Vice President of SEPCOIII, along with ESBI officials, the project's ECM consultant.

During this event, Alba's CEO, Mr. Ali Al Baqali, expressed his enthusiasm, noting the arrival of the Gas Turbine as a pivotal step in enhancing operational efficiency.

He said, "We are pleased to see the Gas Turbine at Alba’s Project site as that will bring us one step closer to boost our operational efficiency while accelerate our ESG transformation in line with the Kingdom’s objectives of Net Zero Emissions by 2060."

He also highlighted the M701JAC GT's advanced capabilities, which are set to significantly reduce the company's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and deliver cleaner energy. Mr. Al Baqali thanked their partners, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and SEPCOIII, for their unwavering support in achieving the project's milestones safely and on time. He also commended the project team for achieving approximately 1.5 million safe working hours without Lost Time Injury (LTI).

Adding to this sentiment, Mr. Takashi Tozawa of MHI expressed the moment's significance.

He said, "Today, marks an important milestone in our growing partnership with Alba, with the on-schedule progress and arrival of Mitsubishi Power advanced JAC gas turbine to Alba’s new Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Block 4 in Power Station 5. This project reflects Mitsubishi Power’s ongoing commitment to deliver our state-of-the-art and hydrogen-ready gas turbine technologies and services to support Alba and our partners in Bahrain in meeting their power and decarbonisation goals, which are aligned with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 for sustainable development.”

Mr. Kong Lingfeng, Vice President of SEPCOIII, assured their commitment to supporting Bahrain's energy objectives by ensuring timely installation of gas turbines and generators. He underscored SEPCOIII's dedication to providing Chinese expertise to enhance Alba's production capacity while adhering to the project schedule.

The PS5 Block 4 Expansion Project signifies the addition of a fourth Block, featuring a combined cycle configuration with the 680.9 MW M701JAC Gas Turbine Combined Cycle and integration into the existing 220kV Substation. When fully operational in Q4 2024, Block 4 will significantly boost the nameplate capacity of the PS5 Complex from 1,800 MW to 2,481 MW, while simultaneously reducing its overall GHG emissions intensity ratio by 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per 1 tonne of aluminium produced.

This milestone marks a significant leap toward cleaner and more efficient energy production in the aluminium smelting industry, positioning Alba as a frontrunner in environmental responsibility and sustainability.