Siemens has been awarded a 25-year long-term service agreement for the planned Umm Al Houl combined cycle power plant in Qatar. The customer is Umm Al Houl Power Q.S.C., a company established through a partnership among Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QWEC), Qatar Petroleum (QP), Qatar Foundation (QF) and K1 Energy (joint venture established by Mitsubishi Corporation and TEPCO & Fuel Power, Incorporated). The service agreement covers the plant's six SGT5-4000F gas turbines, four SST5-4000 steam turbines, 10 SGen5-1200A generators including instrumentation and controls service for a period of 25 years. It also provides for an electrical and a resident engineer to be located on-site.

"Qatar is experiencing rapid industrial, economic and population growth," said Tim Holt, CEO of Siemens Power Generation Services, Power and Gas. "Supported by our highly experienced technical experts, our strong presence in the region and in close collaboration with our customer, our advanced services and maintenance solutions will help ensure this important new power plant operates reliably for many years to come."

The long-term service agreement is designed to improve the operating capabilities, flexibility and profitability of the Umm Al Houl power plant by boosting efficiency, reliability and availability throughout its entire lifecycle. The agreement will enable implementation of innovative service solutions through preventative maintenance, shortened lead times and on-site technical field assistance.

The new power plant will be located 15km south of the capital Doha, adjacent to Qatar Economic Zone. The plant will consist of two power blocks, each in a 3+2 configuration. Each block will consist of three gas turbines which will be used to generate the steam to drive two downstream steam turbines. With a total electrical output of 2.5 gigawatts, and up to 136 million imperial gallons (618 million liters) of drinking water per day, the plant will deliver almost one quarter of the nation's installed power generating capacity. It will ensure adequate power and water supply to accommodate seasonal fluctuations and major events. Commissioning of the first phase is scheduled for 2017, with commissioning of the entire complex scheduled for mid-2018.

Siemens has received two major power generation service orders from Qatar in the past six months. In addition to this agreement for Umm Al Houl, Siemens signed a long-term service contract with Dolphin Energy Limited, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, for the Dolphin Gas Project in Qatar. Siemens is providing service and maintenance for nine aero-derivative gas turbines from former Rolls-Royce Energy and the associated nine Dresser-Rand compressors over a contract period of 18 years.

Over the last several years, Siemens has been working with Qatar to power its ambitious growth aspirations across various sectors. Siemens and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. Ltd. formed a consortium which in 2009 completed the combined-cycle power plant unit Ras Laffan B. This was followed by an order in 2012 for turnkey supply of a streetcar system as well as intelligent solutions for power distribution. Siemens then received an order from Qatar in 2013 for a sewage treatment system. In August 2015, the company was awarded a major order by the state-run Qatar General Water & Electricity Corporation (KAHRAMAA) for the turnkey supply of 18 electrical substations.