POWER September 2010 - 33

TOP PLANTS
Ras Laffan Power and Water Plant,
Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar
Owner/Operator: Ras Laffan Power Co./ AES Ras Laffan Operating Co.
Courtesy: Ras Laffan Power Co.
At the Ras Laffan Power Co. facility, the 756-MW net combined-cycle plant and the
integrated 40 million gallons per day desalination plant are working in tandem to
provide abundant, reliable electricity and desalinated water to residents of the State
of Qatar, the most prosperous nation in the Middle East.
By Angela Neville, JD
T
he emirate of Qatar is a dynamic symbol
of the modern Middle East. In
Doha, Qatar's capital, new skyscrapers
and beautiful beaches are juxtaposed with
traditional souqs (market places). Large oil
and natural gas reserves have made Qatar
the second-highest per-capita income country
in the world.
With Qatar experiencing explosive growth
in recent decades, its demand for both electricity
and potable water has greatly increased.
To deal with these twin needs, the
Ras Laffan Power Co. (RLPC) launched the
integrated 756-MW net gas-fired power and
desalination plant in Ras Laffan Industrial
City, which is located on the coast approximately
50 miles northeast of Doha. The desalination
plant produces 40 million gallons
per day (mgd) of desalinated water.
RLPC was formed to build the very first
independent water and power plant in Qatar,
following a 2001 emiri decree. It is a joint
September 2010 | POWER
venture between AES Corp., Qatar Electricity
& Water Co., Qatar Petroleum, and Gulf
Investment Corp. The facility started full operation
in May 2004 and is operating under a
25-year power and water purchase agreement
with Qatar General Electricity and Water
Corp. (KAHRAMAA), the sole off-taker and
the only entity in Qatar responsible for power
and water transmission and distribution. The
facility is being operated by AES Ras Laffan
Operating Co.
Qatar's Electric Power Industry
Qatar, a relatively small country in terms of geographical
size, has a population of 1,696,563
(as of Qatar's July 2010 census). The country's
economy is primarily dependent upon oil and
natural gas production and refining.
Qatar is utilizing its estimated 8.96 trillion
cubic feet of gas reserves to build industrial,
chemical, and power plants. The country
aims to raise its electric generating capacity
www.powermag.com
to 9,000 MW by 2012 from 4,200 MW as of
last May, according to state-controlled Qatar
National Bank.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
countries have established the GCC Interconnection
Authority to develop the GCC
power grid. This power grid will reduce high
long-term investment costs for constructing
electrical generation plants by reducing the
level of reserves needed in each country. It
also will provide wheeling services and enable
energy trading. Qatar will be able to
export 500 MW of electricity to neighboring
states during peak-demand summer months
by 2012 over a regional electric grid.
The Facility's Desalination System
The desalination plant consists of four multistage
flash evaporator (MSFE) units, according
to Shaukat Ali, the facility's operations
and maintenance (O&M) coordinator, and
Said Alavi Chemmadan, its operations engi33
http://www.powermag.com
POWER September 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER September 2010
