General Electric Co., the world's biggest maker of power-plant turbines, won an order valued at about $3 billion to provide electricity-generating equipment and services to Iraq. It is the largest single order in the history of the GE Energy segment, Steve Bolze, who runs the power and water division, said in an interview on Monday. GE, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, will provide 56 of its 9E model turbines capable of supplying 7,000 megawatts of electricity, nearly doubling the country's generating capacity. GE has supplied power equipment to Iraq, which the company estimates needs about 30,000 megawatts, at various times since the 1970s. Iraq also ordered eight turbines in May as it sought emergency power, Bolze said. The new award comes as GE expands in the Middle East and adds to the $4 billion already ordered by countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar over the past two years. “GE continues to see a broad-based need for electricity,” Bolze said. “Electricity is really the backbone much of economic growth in a variety of countries as they improve standards of living.” Iraq's daily power-generation output averages less than 6,000 megawatts, while demand is typically more than 10,000, GE said in a statement. The turbines will be made in Belfort, France, and Greenville, South Carolina, with 20 planned for shipment next year to the war-torn country, Bolze said. The Iraq order comes amid concern the slowing global economy may crimp the pace of deliveries as some utilities struggle for cash for capital investments.
