SEWA, Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority, has invested Dh2 billion in the operation of the first gas-fired unit to increase the electricity output by 345 megawatts.
The project will be completed in January 2023.
The operation is part of the expansion project of the Al Layyah power plant to increase the production of electricity in the emirate.
The plant’s development and expansion project consists of two M701F gas turbines, with a capacity of 345MW per unit, two heat recovery boilers, and a 336MW steam turbine with a total installed efficiency of more than 60 percent. The total cost of the project is Dh2 billion.
Saeed Sultan Al Suwaidi, chairman of the SEWGA, confirmed that the project to expand Al Layyah power plant with a total capacity of 1,026 megawatts achieves the vision of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to meet the demand for electricity and keep pace with the industrial, commercial and residential development in the Emirate of Sharjah.
2030 strategy
He pointed out that the authority is working to develop electricity production plants in accordance with the 2030 strategy to increase the installed production capacity to 4,600MW of electricity and raise the operational efficiency to more than 60 percent, which has the greatest impact on reducing carbon emissions and preserving energy resources.
Engineer Issa Al Suwaidi, director of Electricity Production Department at the SEWGA, explained that the authority has been cooperating since 2018 with the alliance of the Japanese Mitsubishi Energy Company and Al Sewedi Energy to develop and expand the Layyah plant with a combined cycle system.
Thus, the trial operation of the production units started out in November 2021, with the aid of a contractor and project consultant, to ensure the safety and quality of the installed units as well as the stability of the generated electricity.
