CEOs of Siemens Energy and EGA meet to review construction progress of power block for aluminium smelting

Christian Bruch, Siemens Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, and Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Emirates Global Aluminium’s CEO, have reportedly met to evaluate the progress of a very highly-efficient power generation facility under construction at EGA Jebel Ali site and discuss potential future cooperation.

Siemens Energy is leading the construction of the power block project worth AED 1 billion. It will be the first in the global aluminium industry to use a Siemens Energy H-class gas turbine, a leading technology in efficient power generation.

The facility will have a power generation capacity of over 600 megawatts of electricity. EGA generates electricity for use in its aluminium smelting and other industrial operations.

Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy, said: “EGA is the largest power producer in the UAE after the Abu Dhabi and Dubai utilities. We are proud to support EGA in improving efficiency and reliability while reducing emissions and costs, and we look forward to many more years of partnership and collaboration.”

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA, said: “Aluminium is used in applications that make modern life possible and contribute to a more sustainable society. We have a duty to also produce aluminium in a sustainable way. Siemens Energy is an important partner as we strive to continue to improve energy efficiency, reducing costs and environmental emissions.” 

At the new facility, the installation of the giant H-class gas turbine took four days in February after it arrived in the UAE by sea from Germany. The first firing of the H-class turbine is expected in December, while full completion of the project is scheduled in the next summer.

Once completed, the new power block will replace five older, smaller, and less efficient turbines. The new power block is expected to lower greenhouse gas emissions from EGA’s power generation and aluminium smelting operations at Jebel Ali by about 10 per cent.