Siemens Energy has boosted its presence in the Gulf region’s power plant market with a EUR350 million contract to build a 1500 MW power and desalination plant in Abu Dhabi.

The German engineering firm, in consortium with Doosan Heavy Industries and Samsung Engineering & Construction, is to build the Shuweihat II combined cycle power plant and integrated 455 000 m3/day desalination facility. The new facility is scheduled to start operating in September 2011 and will help Abu Dhabi overcome rapidly rising electricity and water demand.

Siemens and its partners will build the project on a turnkey basis, with Siemens’ scope of supply comprising the main power plant components. Doosan Heavy Industries will build the seawater desalination plant based on MSF technology, while Samsung is responsible for the civil works.

The project is the second order that Siemens has received from GDF Suez in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority (ADWEA) will take all the energy and water produced by the plant.

Siemens will equip the power island of the plant with four SGT5-4000F gas turbines, two SST5-6000 steam turbines, six generators, the electrical systems and a SPPA-T3000 I&C package. The company is also constructing other power and water desalination facilities in Abu Dhabi, including Shuweihat I and Mirfa.

“Shuweihat I and II are among the highest-performance plants of their kind and stand out by their sheer size,” said Michael Suess, CEO of the Fossil Power Generation Division of Siemens Energy.