Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), one of the largest aluminium smelters in the world, today (September 26) debuted the first concrete pour for the foundation of Power Station 5 (PS5) Block 4 project, thus commencing the early works at the PS5 construction site.

Mitsubishi Power and SepcoIII consortium will be responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of Block 4. The project’s commercial operations are expected to begin in Q4 2024.

Alba’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa kicked off the proceedings at the project site and was joined by Alba’s senior officials including Board member Shaikh Isa bin Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, CEO Ali Al Baqali, Chief Power Officer Amin Sultan as well as representatives from Mitsubishi Power and SepcoIII consortium.

Speaking on the occasion, Shaikh Daij said: "We are pleased to carry out the first foundation concrete pour for PS5 Block 4 Project, thus debuting the kick-off of construction activities and other site works."

"This project - part of Alba’s ambitious decarbonisation initiatives - is a combined cycle power plant with a hydrogen-ready J-series gas turbine technology which upon completion in Q4 2024 will reduce Alba’s overall GHG emissions, thus setting the benchmark in terms of sustainable and efficient Aluminium production all the while accelerating the kingdom’s goals to reach Net Zero Emissions by 2060," he stated.

Alba PS5 Block 4 is a 680.9 megawatts (MW) combined cycle power plant that is an expansion of the existing PS5 and includes tie into the existing 220kV substation.

Once the project gets completed, the nameplate capacity of PS5 will increase from 1.8GW to more than 2.4GW, stated Shaikh Daij.

A blue-chip asset of Bahrain, Alba completed five decades of commercial operations last year. The company marked its Golden Jubilee by breaking all its previous records in safety and topped 30 million safe working-hours without Lost Time Injury (LTI) this month for the first-time in its history.

At plus-1.561 million metric tonnes per annum (2021), Alba is one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters with more than 50 years of excellence in operations, safety, environment and socio-economic development. 

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