The 2.4-gigawatt Fujairah F3 gas-fired power plant has started commercial operations and is expected to power thousands of homes in the UAE.
The independent power producer (IPP) project has been developed by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa), which owns a 40 per cent stake in the project company, along with Marubeni Corporation (20.4 per cent), Mubadala (20 per cent) and Hokuriku Electric Power (19.6 per cent). The Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) is the sole procurer of electricity from the project, under a long-term power purchase agreement.
An IPP refers to a private entity that generates power for sale to a utility or end users.
Located in the Qidfa area in Fujairah, the facility is “one of the largest” gas-fired power plants in the UAE and is capable of powering approximately 380,000 homes, the companies said in a statement on Monday.
“Fujairah F3 plays a crucial role in meeting growing power demand and will provide reliable baseload power, while also providing the flexibility needed to integrate more renewables into the grid,” said Andreas Collor, chief operations officer of Taqa’s generation business.
The plant features gas turbine technology from Mitsubishi Power, integrated into combined cycle gas turbine configurations and offers “high thermal efficiency, rapid response capability, and a low emissions profile”, the companies said.
Taqa said in 2020 that it had achieved financial close for the project, expected to cost Dh4.2 billion ($1.14 billion), and initially expected to start operations in 2022.
The company is currently focusing on boosting its renewables portfolio, Taqa chief executive Jasim Thabet told The National in May. In April, it also announced an artificial intelligence-focused initiative expected to drive Dh36 billion of investments and will “continue to monitor the market for trends”, he said.
The UAE has been seeking to increase the share of clean energy in the electricity generation mix amid growing demand. Ewec supplies more than 55 per cent of Abu Dhabi's power through renewable and clean energy sources and plans to raise it to 60 per cent by 2035.
Last year, the utility also said there was urgent need for an additional 5.1 gigawatts of gas capacity in the emirate to support the integration of renewable energy projects and provide flexibility during peak demand, state news agency Wam reported.
This includes about 2.5 gigawatts of combined-cycle gas turbine capacity by 2028, along with 2.6 gigawatts of open-cycle gas turbine capacity, expected to be available by 2027, the company said at the time.
In April, Taqa also has signed a 24-year power purchase agreement with Ewec to build and operate a one-gigawatt open-cycle gas turbine project in Al Dhafra.
“The commencement of full commercial operations at Fujairah F3 marks a major achievement in our strategic energy infrastructure development,” said Mohamed Almarzooqi, chief asset development and management officer of Ewec.
“The plant provides transitional capacity, supporting the integration of utility-scale renewable energy while ensuring grid reliability during peak demand periods.”
