GE Announces Ambitious Energy Plan in Iraq That Will Create 65,000 Jobs

GE Signs Cooperation Principles with Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity to Help the Country Generate Up to 14 Gigawatts Additional

A decade ago, some areas of Iraq averaged just four hours of electricity per day. Today, the typical Iraqi still receives only 16 to 18 hours of power daily, and only a few regions can rely on 24-hour electricity. The situation is far from perfect, sending people to cool off in the Tigris River – instead of air-conditioned rooms – during summer heatwaves.

Still, improvements have made a significant difference in the quality of life for local residents. “We are gradually improving conditions: refrigerators, schools, people’s homes,” says Joseph Anis, president and CEO of GE’s energy services business in Africa, India, and the Middle East.

GE’s technology already provides up to 55% of the country’s electricity, and that number could soon grow. GE has just signed “cooperation principles” with Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity to help the country “generate up to 14 additional gigawatts” by strengthening existing plants and building new ones over the next five years. “Our presence in Iraq is based on a history of trust, partnership, and success that spans over 50 years,” said Russell Stokes, president and CEO of GE Power. “We are honored to support the government’s focus on rebuilding Iraq and proud of our legacy of providing power where it’s needed in the country.”

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Once completed, the Basmaya plant will generate the equivalent power needed to supply up to 3 million Iraqi homes

A recent example is the 3,000-megawatt Basmaya plant. GE is providing Iraq’s mass energy group with eight units of its advanced gas turbines, four steam turbine units, and a multi-year contract involving plant operations and maintenance services, as well as industrial digital solutions based on Predix, GE’s Industrial Internet software platform, for the project.

Located about 40 kilometers east of Baghdad, Basmaya is a critical development to strengthen Iraq’s energy sector. Once completed, it will be the largest combined cycle power plant in Iraq in terms of output, generating up to 15% of the country’s current capacity and the equivalent power needed to supply up to 3 million Iraqi homes. It is already sending up to 2,500 MW of power to the national grid, with an additional 500 MW to follow in 2019.

The plant operates as a combined cycle facility. Natural gas fires the turbines, which spin to produce electricity. The heat from each pairing also boils water to create steam, which drives a second set of turbines, producing more electricity. This arrangement is more efficient than a simple cycle power plant. It also emits less carbon into the atmosphere per megawatt of energy generated, reducing the environmental impact.

The facility will be the first in Iraq to utilize GE’s Asset Performance Management (APM) software. Built on Predix, the system will collect data from the plant to monitor the integrity of the internal machinery. The software can detect anomalies and help predict disruptions before they occur, improving plant reliability, optimizing just-in-time maintenance, and reducing plant downtime.

GE’s Asset Performance Management (APM) software applications, built on Predix

This type of massive infrastructure project is impossible without long-term institutional commitments and a lot of patience. Although construction is underway now, the plant will not be completed for several more years.

For Ahmad Ismail, president of Mass Energy Group Holding, the Basmaya plant represents a chance to restore reliable electricity to a part of the country that is desperate for a predictable supply. “The province that needs power the most is the capital, Baghdad,” says Ismail. “This power plant will help the people of Baghdad meet their critical energy needs, lighting homes, schools, and hospitals and supporting industrial growth.”

As with most of GE’s operations worldwide, the people working on the Basmaya project are a mix of local and global employees. Specialists are hired as needed, but the workforce is primarily made up of Iraqi citizens with many years of experience at GE. “Our main focus is to employ our staff in the region,” says Anis.

Basmaya “will also provide a great job opportunity for Iraqis, especially engineers and technicians,” says Ismail. He points to the partnership between the two companies over the last decade as an example of GE’s loyalty and “high level of commitment to the country,” which is uncommon given the challenging geopolitical atmosphere.

“Ten years ago, many companies were leaving Iraq,” says Ismail. “But GE was the company that stayed there, supporting us.”