Alstom has sealed a deal to construct stage 3 of the Shoaiba power plant in Saudi Arabia.

The engineering has followed up the signing of a Letter of Intent with Saudi Electricity Company in July with a EUR1.9 billion contract to build the 1200 MW plant. On completion of the project, the Shoaiba power station will comprise 14 units of 400 MW each, with a total gross output of 5600 MW.

Alstom is the consortium leader for the project and will design, supply, install and commission the entire plant, including oil-fired boilers, STF40 steam turbines, generators, a sea water flue gas desulphurization system and auxiliary equipment. Equipment delivery is scheduled for 2010.

Alstom’s consortium partner, Saudi Archirodon, will carry out all the associated civil works. The boilers are designed to burn both crude and heavy fuel oil and will use Alstom’s advanced low NOx tangential firing technology.

Electricity demand is growing at around seven per cent per year in Saudi Arabia.