Taqa to develop 1 GW open-cycle gas turbine in Abu Dhabi

Taqa to build, own, operate 1 GW gas turbine in Al Dhafra: Abu Dhabi utility and energy firm Taqa inked a 24-year power purchase agreement with Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) that will allow it to build, own, and operate a 1 GW open-cycle gas turbine in Al Dhafra, according to a statement (pdf). The turbine will support Ewec and Masdar’s USD 6 bn, 5.2 GW solar and 19 GWh battery storage project, which is set to be the largest in the world once operational in 2027, and is expected to dispatch renewable energy around the clock.

What we know: Taqa fully owns the project, and will delegate its subsidiary, Taqa Transmission, to develop power grid infrastructure to integrate the additional generation capacity with “new sources of energy demand,” the company said.

The new partnership between Masdar, Ewec, and Taqa is set to drive investments worth some AED 36 bn in energy supply infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, the statement said. Some 75% of that will go towards renewable and conventional power generation, while the remaining 25% is going towards grid infrastructure.