Oman-based Al Hassan Engineering Company has won a RO9.25 million ($24 million) contract from Alstom of France, which will require the company to undertake an installation and erection works package at the 1,000 MW captive power plant for an aluminium smelter coming up at Sohar in Oman.

The power plant, for which Alstom is the main EPC contractor, will comprise the following components: Four gas-turbine generators (GTGs) – model GT13E2 – each rated for 165 MW; four heat-recovery steam generators (HRSGs); two steam-turbine generators (STGs) – each rated for 225 MW; steam and water systems and balance of plant; and the plant’s electrical, instrumentation and control systems.
The scope of work of Al Hassan Engineering for the 12-month contract will involve the mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control works (MEI) including HRSG erection for the power plant that entails erection of four GTGs and auxiliaries (6,600 tonnes), four HRSGs (7,700 tonnes), two STGs (1,500 tonnes), balance of plant (1,900 tonnes), plant electrical and instrumentation items (540 tonnes) in addition to laying 500 km of electrical, instrumentation and control cabling.
Work on the Sohar aluminium smelter project – which has Oman Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea) and Alcan of Canada as its shareholders – is proceeding on a fast-track programme.
Once complete, the project, set up in 2004, will feature a single AP35 Potline aluminium smelter with an associated captive power plant.
The smelter is targeted to start its first production of hot metal in 2008. The power plant is the part of multi-billion dollar aluminium smelter project. The power plant will be one of the biggest of its kind in the region, with a capacity of 1,000 MW, using combined cycle turbines.