Energy major GE Energy has signed an agreement in Qatar to set up a greenfield plant that will supply power to what is going to be the world's largest aluminum production facility. The new plant will be the cornerstone of the Qatalum facility at Mesaieed, 40 km from Qatar's capital Doha in the country's southeast, according to a GE Energy statement. Once work on its project is finished, Qatalum will have the capacity to produce 585,000 tonnes of high-quality aluminium products for the export market. Under a 16-year multi-million dollar contractual services agreement (CSA), GE Energy will supply a full range of services for GE gas turbines at the Qatalum power plant, which will generate approximately 1,350 megawatts of power for the production facility. “Our customized CSAs are designed to help improve reliability and availability of gas turbines as well as to provide localized technical excellence, all of which will help Qatalum establish a significant role in the world's aluminum producing industry,” Joseph Anis, GE Energy's region executive for the Middle East, said in the statement. The Qatari company has already started work with GE Energy on the new power plant. “We have already started to work with GE on the equipment supply and are confident that the service agreement will support our goal of reliable power for the production of aluminum in the years ahead,” Truls Gautesen, chief executive of Qatalum, said. Qatalum is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro Aluminum. The new facility is expected to start commercial operations in 2010.
