The power plants which delivers an output of 78 MW, is built by a consortium comprising the Danish power plant specialist Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S (BWSC) and MAN Diesel & Turbo in Jiyeh, south Beirut. In addition to the engines, the order from MAN Diesel & Turbo also comprises kits for converting the engines to gas-powered operation: as soon as the region’s gas infrastructure is up and running, the engines will be switched to dual-fuel capability, allowing them to be operated both with liquid as well gaseous fuels.

The power plant will use the Diesel Combined Cycle product combination, in which the waste heat from the engines is utilized in order to power a further steam turbine. This achieves an excellent degree of electrical efficiency of more than 48 per cent in total.

With a total output of 78 MW, the new power plant will play an important role in safeguarding a stable and reliable supply of electricity to the region: “The two new power plants in Zouk and Jiyeh are an important first step in the efforts to reform the Lebanon’s energy sector, efforts which are aimed at markedly improving the entire country’s power supply,” says Gebran Bassil, Lebanon’s Minister for Energy and Water.