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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Oct 13, 2008 - 10:41:15 AM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Al-Garma 132kV substation project will significantly enhance the strength and reliability of power to Gas/Oil separation facilities and serve more than 13,000 residents north of Basrah city. |
BASRAH, Iraq - The Al-Garma 132 kV Substation, one of the key electrical projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer in Basrah Province was successfully energized Oct. 3, 2007.
Andrew Schmieder, Basrah area resident engineer, said the $8.8 million project entails assessing, evaluating, rehabilitating, repairing and installing electrical systems in an existing 132kV substation that supplies electricity to a gas/oil separation facility and serves the Al-Garma district north of Basrah city, benefiting more than 13,000 residents.
“This project will help provide the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity with a more reliable and secure transmission network in the south of the country,” he said. “Symbion Power LLC started construction on Al-Garma 132kV Substation Rehab on February 2006 and is currently 90 percent complete.”
Schmieder said the Al-Garma substation is the first of five Symbion Power Basrah 132kV substation projects. He said two more substations are expected to be energized later this month, with the energization of the final two expected in November and December. The final substation is Al Harmar, which is delayed until December due to a faulty disconnect switch that must be returned to Europe for repairs.
Thomas Eidson, chief of Engineering and Construction with the Gulf Region South district, said a reliable distribution of electricity is critical for Basrah Province.
The city of Basrah is one of the largest in Iraq, with an area of 19,070 square kilometers and an estimated population of about 2,600,000 residents. The economic base of Basrah is refining and exporting oil and chemicals.
 Eidson said strong and reliable delivery of power will strengthen the Iraqi economy by increasing Iraqi oil and chemical exports, bringing wealth and prosperity to Iraqi people, improving the quality of life for Iraqis, and creating new opportunities for employment.
The rehabilitation project of Basrah 132kV substations is a part of the overall electric infrastructure, which was severely looted and damaged during the 2003 war.” Schmieder said.
According to Al, an Iraqi deputy resident engineer with Basrah Area Office, the major facility reconstruction includes a building control room, two 63 megavolt transformers, a high voltage switch gears room, a guard house, a security fence and essential service improvements.
''This substation is a critical element of gas /oil separation facility and will help provide more employment opportunities and support the economic development of the entire country of Iraq,” Eidson explained. He said the rehabilitation project at Al-Garma 132kV substation will improve reliability and safety for the electrical distribution network and reduce electrical outages.
Schmieder described the project as one of the key components of the Iraqi electrical system infrastructure, which, when completed, will support the electrical system and reduce the electrical outages. “This project is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year and will effectively ease and lower the electrical load rates on the existing substations.” he said.
Note: A. Al Bahrani is a public affairs specialist with the Gulf Region South district, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Iraqi local workers prepare to connect power cables to one of the 63megavolt Amps transformers at Al-Garma substation, north of Basrah Province. |
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| Iraqi workers and engineers prepare to test the electrical system at the high voltage switch gears room. |
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| The control room at Al-Garma substation, which is one of the key components of the Iraqi electrical system infrastructure. |
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