The new U.S. ambassador to Iraq Christopher R. Hill participated in his first ribbon cutting ceremony May 7 at al-Qudas Power Plant, located northeast of Baghdad. The U.S. government has been funding a $176 million expansion project at the existing power plant, which plays a key role in power generation for the Iraqi national power grid.

A site tour and ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Iraq’s Minister of Electricity, Dr. Karim W. Hasan, marked the completion of the successful, joint venture between the U.S. and Iraqi governments.

“This important addition to the ministry’s inventory of generation sources will help to guarantee the sustainability of our most recent output gains,” said Hasan. “This Qudas expansion project points the way to the day when we will be able to meet the electricity power demands of all the Iraqi people.”

The project was funded through the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund, which was established by the U.S. Congress November 6, 2003, and allocated $18.4 billion to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure. Al-Qudas expansion project is the final power generation project constructed using IRRF funds.

The U.S. State Department’s Iraq Transition Assistance Office provided program management, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division in Iraq provided contract and construction management of the project. The Ministry of Electricity undertook site work including new water and fuel connections, major tank and piping refurbishments and major electrical connections.

“I am extremely proud of the team that has worked here to expand the Qudas Power Plant’s power generation capabilities, and I applaud the efforts of all involved, particularly our partners at the Ministry of Electricity and the U.S. State Department,” said Maj. Gen. Michael R. Eyre, commander of the Gulf Region Division.

The expansion project is the largest power plant generation project both in scope and dollar amount overseen by GRD. The project, which began in September 2006, included the installment of two new General Electric Frame 9E generators and all supporting infrastructure including a new switch yard, trunk lines and processing center for the crude oil. When operating on crude oil each generator is capable of daily adding 100+ megawatts of electricity to the Iraqi power grid, for a combined 200 megawatts.

This large scale expansion project was Iraqi designed and constructed and will be Iraqi operated. The contract was awarded August 2006 to a joint venture between Uruk Engineering Services Company LLC and Baghdad Company for Gas Turbine, Ltd., both Iraqi-owned companies.

“Iraqis should be proud of their Ministry of Electricity and the Iraqi contractors and workers who have contributed to reaching this important milestone,” said Eyre. “I couldn’t be more pleased at the work we accomplished together, working side-by-side.”

The project provided meaningful jobs to people in the local area, employing as many as 400 Iraqi workers at the height of construction.

Eyre went on to add that the project’s construction provided an invaluable opportunity to develop the Iraqis’ abilities to design and construct their own power plants. “It is probably one of the aspects of this project I am most proud of,” Eyre said.

All safety and operational testing of the two turbines was completed May 4 and the turbines were deemed fully operational. The ministry has signed a letter of acceptability and has assumed responsibility for the daily operations and maintenance of the project.

“In recent surveys the majority of Iraqis are indicating that their number one concern is essential services, where in the past it has been security,” Eyre explained. “Providing essential services to the Iraqi people has been a cornerstone of the construction mission for GRD. Qudas is an example of what we’re all about, building a strong foundation today for Iraq’s future and doing that together.”

Within the electricity sector, using Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Funds, GRD has completed 457 projects, valued at $2.116 billion. These projects fall into three major categories: distribution, transmission and generation.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Division’s largest remaining electrical generation project added two work shifts to keep pace on one of Iraq’s most important infrastructure projects, the Qudas Generation Plant.

The Qudas expansion initiative, first started in September 2006, will result in an additional 200 mega watts of power added to the electrical grid. More than 200 Iraqi skilled and semi-skilled laborers are working hard to finish construction, and begin commissioning and testing in early 2009. Full electrical production is scheduled for April 2009.

“We are helping meet the basic needs of the people of Iraq – with electricity, water and medical care… things many of us take for granted everyday,” said Maj. Gen. Michael R. Eyre. “After Qudas is finished, GRD’s goal of adding 2,160 mega watts to the Iraqi grid will be complete.”

U.S. Navy Commander Jerome Zinni has been in Iraq for almost four months with most of his time spent at Qudas. He has a short mission statement: “Finish Qudas and get those mega watts on the grid to strengthen the Baghdad Ring.”

The $170 million project features two huge General Electric Frame 9E generators that will add much needed mega watt capacity to the grid, resulting in more hours of power for average Iraqis “that have growing desires, but still have a very limited supply of electricity,” Zinni said. “Formulas vary and are far from an exact science; but each mega watt is enough to benefit approximately 904 households.”

Using these figures, more than180,000 Iraqi households could benefit from the Qudas expansion project. Many factors determine hours of power, but this expansion will create more power that is not currently on the Iraqi grid. Demand outstrips available power supplies as Iraqis purchase and hook up energy hungry electrical appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, microwave ovens and a litany of other electrical items.

GRD Deputy Energy Division Chief Kent McAnany explained that essential services such as “Hospitals, police, fire stations and other Government of Iraq services are supposed to receive power 24/7, while additional government buildings (schools, etc.) receive electricity during regular business hours,” said McAnany. “Finally, Iraqi residents get the remainder.”

During the former regime, little money was expended on the development or maintenance of the electrical infrastructure in Iraq. In 2004 the World Bank estimated that $20 billion would be needed to rehabilitate and restore Iraq’s electrical infrastructure. Since then, the U.S. Department of State’s Iraq Transition Assistance Office analysts have determined the actual cost may be closer to $30 billion. “GRD’s role is to help ‘jump start’ Iraq infrastructure construction and rehabilitation after three decades of neglect,” said Eyre. To date, GRD and its Iraqi partners have completed more than 4,200 projects in electricity, oil, water, health, education, and security and justice projects.

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By Erich Langer
Gulf Region Division