Finnish technology firm Wärtsilä will supply the engineering, equipment, and technical advisory services for a 44MW power plant planned to be installed at the Mansourah & Massarah Gold Project mine in Saudi Arabia.
Larsen & Toubro, the India-based contractor for the project has placed the order with Wärtsilä in March 2020. The project is expected to become the first power project in the country to use a hybrid concept, with engine technology and solar energy.
Larsen & Turbo MENA metallurgical and material handling division BU head Amit Swarnkar sid: “Wärtsilä is a global energy solution provider with a strong presence in Saudi Arabia. Reliability is key for any gold mine for securing uninterrupted operations and targeted revenues in all occasions.
“The dedicated power plant will ensure that the mine can operate on a reliable and economical supply of electricity. In particular, we have selected the Wärtsilä technology because of its capability to enable the integration of PV solar into the system, which is important for this project.”
Wärtsilä 32 engines will reach the full power output within minutes of starting
Under the current order, the company will provide six of its Wärtsilä 32 engines for the power plant, with five in operation and one on constant stand-by.
Designed based on the Wärtsilä engine technology, the engines are said to reach the full power output within minutes after starting, and allows the plant to make use of renewable solar energy.
A consortium of Outotec and Larsen & Toubro is executing the Mansourah & Massarah Gold project, where Outotec is the key technology provider for the project, and Larsen & Toubro is responsible for the entire balance of plant activities.
L&T’s scope of work includes critical process equipment, utilities, power generation and distribution, along with the civil and structural works, and complete installation activities and commissioning support at the plant.
Wärtsilä is expected to deliver the equipment on a fast-track basis, within 10 months from the contract signing, and the plant is planned to be commissioned in May 2021, and commercial operations would start in 2022.
Wärtsilä Middle East energy business director Alexandre Eykerman said: “Maximising the use of renewable energy is central to Wärtsilä’s approach to enabling sustainable energy supplies.
“We enhance this energy transition by optimising energy systems for our customers, and have extensive experience in providing power for mining operations, so this project fits our capabilities perfectly.”
