First Clean Coal-Fired Power Plant in Middle East Goes into Operation

The No.1 generator unit of the Hassyan 4×600MW clean coal-fired power plant in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), started work on May 18, with all devices operating stably and with high quality.

A major engineering project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the plant is the first clean coal-fired power plant in the Middle East. 

The project is the world's first of its kind to use a dual-fuel generator to supply power at full load, and the first Chinese enterprise-invested, built and operated power project under the framework of the initiative, which is a significant achievement.

It is also a milestone in China's overseas power projects.

Harbin Electric Corporation (HE) is responsible for the generator unit construction. It kept pushing forward the project amid the COVID-19 pandemic while taking effective measures to prevent and control the pandemic.

Construction site of the Hassyan coal-fired power plant project [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

Bilateral cooperation between the UAE and China has increased in recent years and has borne substantial fruits.

Power supply in Dubai relies a great deal on imported natural gas. Therefore, the city released its Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy (DIES) 2030 to improve energy infrastructure construction and reduce its dependence on a single energy source.

The consortium of Harbin Electric International Company Limited (HEI), a subsidiary of HE, and General Electric Company (GE) won the bid for the Hassyan coal-fired power plant project in June 2016, a key part of Dubai's plan to realize energy diversification.

The project includes four ultra-supercritical generator units with a total installed capacity of 2,400 MW. Coal and the backup fuel can be burnt completely in the plant.

The units are scheduled to be in operation in 2023 and are expected to meet 20 percent of Dubai's electricity demand. Power costs will be greatly reduced when the plant is in service. It will also contribute to power supply of the Expo 2020 Dubai.

In addition to construction, the project is also invested, financed and designed by Chinese enterprises. It is an overseas model of the result of Chinese central SOEs' cooperation and the first EPC power project contracted by a Chinese enterprise in the Middle East with an investment and financing mode.

It's worth mentioning that the project will be a result of global cooperation as the EPC management group has members from 20 countries and regions and companies in China, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UAE and India participating in its design.

To reduce emissions of air pollutants and protect the environment, the most advanced combustion, denitration, dedusting and desulfurization technologies are being used during the construction.

What's more, 28,850 corals and all fish within the construction area have been moved. 

Builders of the Hassyan coal-fired power plant project move undersea coral. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

Highly valuing the Belt and Road Initiative and adhering to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, HE has sped up its pace of overseas project development.

The earliest power generation equipment manufacturing base in China, the company's business covers Asia, Africa, South America as well as Middle East and Europe.

The company's projects involve aspects of thermal power, hydropower and power transmission and transformation. Clean coal-fired power plants and large-scale combined-cycle power plants are also parts of HE's business.

HE will continue to promote advanced technology and high-quality service to the world and boost the high-quality development of the initiative.

(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)