Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) has awarded the main engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the 1,792MW fifth captive power plant at its aluminium smelter facility.

Alba awarded the EPC deal to a consortium of the US’ GE and Turkey’s Gama Power systems Engineering & Construction to construct the 1,792MW captive plant.

MEED reported in July that Alba had received final clarifications from two shortlisted bidders, after the client had received proposals from five bidders in April. The GE/Gama consortium saw off competition from Germany’s Siemens, the other shortlisted bidder, to secure the contract.

GE will provide three 9HA gas turbines, three steam turbines and three high recovery steam generators (HRSGs) for the project. The plant will be the first in the Gulf region to have GE’s H Class turbines.

The 1,792MW fifth power plant is a crucial part of Alba’s development of a sixth potline, which was granted long-awaited government approval in the first half in 2015.

In April 2016, MEED reported that US-based engineering group Bechtel had been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract on Alba’s sixth potline expansion, which will cost an estimated $3bn to build.

The US company will design and construct the sixth potline and support industrial services.

Bechtel had previously been awarded the EPCM contract on the previous fourth and fifth potline expansions.