Siemens said that in few months from now, the trailer-mounted, gas-fired power plant will be generating power for the Jowzjan Province in the northern part of the country.
The mobile unit will use an aeroderivative gas turbine, which will generate up to 41MW of power at 50Hertz (Hz). As per Siemens, the trailer-mounted design of the unit reduces the amount of construction work required at the site. It is also claimed to be a fully-tested and pre-commissioned unit.
The Bayat Power Phase 1 project, featuring the SGT-A45 unit, is expected to generate enough electricity to be supplied to around 200,000 Afghan homes.
Siemens Power and Gas commercial sales senior vice president Julian Erfurth said: “The Siemens SGT-A45 mobile unit is the most powerful and efficient mobile gas turbine in the market.
“Our unique offering, combined with Bayat Power’s extensive experience developing infrastructure in Afghanistan, will enable the first new gas-fired power plant in the country in over 40 years. Siemens is proud to work with Bayat Power to deliver this very important project.”
Being the first gas-fired power plant in the country since 1970s, it is expected to mark a first step towards energy independence for the country.
Presently, the country meets a significant part of its electricity needs from abroad. The Bayat Power Phase 1 project is expected to reduce its dependency on imports and make use of its local natural gas reserves.
Bayat Group chairman and CEO Ehsan Bayat said: “Bayat Power Phase 1 is truly a ground-breaking project, achievable only with the innovative efficiency and capacity of the SGT-A45 mobile turbine and the collaborative vision of Siemens, Bayat Power, and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
“This project is not only just a unique opportunity to match creative private sector investment with Siemens’ considerable technical expertise and world-class turbine technology to allow Afghanistan to take its first step towards powering the next phase of the nation’s economic growth, but also is a further example of the Bayat Group’s commitment to investing in Afghanistan’s domestic energy industry in order to help electrify new industries, create jobs and activate opportunities which will benefit our entire country.”
As per the German company, the SGT-A45 mobile unit has been designed to cater to the increasing demand for rapid power generation.