Rebuilding a War-torn Nation through Power:
A Record-Breaking 23-Day
Installation of
a 54 MW Power Plant in Aden, Yemen
a 54 MW Power Plant in Aden, Yemen
Watch the video, below, and learn how
Altaaqa Global built a power plant in just 23 days, helping more than half a
million people in Yemen. The project avoided political, economic and social tension
in Yemen.
Background
When the
Arab Spring revolution ended, the province of Aden, Yemen was suffering from
severe energy shortage. The power outages caused political tension, economic
losses and social unrest not only in the city but in the entire country. The
Government of Yemen, with the aim of easing the pressure as immediately as
possible, sought for the assistance of Altaaqa Global CAT Rental Power to build
a 54 MW power plant in just 23 days.
Due to
various technical problems, including lack of power plants, unstable grid and
insufficient power distribution facilities, the entire province of Aden was
suffering from power outages lasting for 14 hours at a time. This dismal
situation was creating chaos across different industries, including oil &
gas, financial (banks and financial institutions), hospitality (hotels and
restaurants), construction and industrial manufacturing.
What represented the most difficult challenge, however, was the security situation in Yemen during the time when the project was being completed. At the height of the terrorism alert in the country, all of the embassies and foreign entities were advised by their respective countries to flee Yemen. Altaaqa Global, too, was advised to abort its project and to go back to its headquarters, but it did not heed the call. The call of duty to provide electricity to the depressed areas of Aden and, ultimately, to start putting an end to the widespread social and political unrest in the country was louder than the appeal for retreat.
Description and
Development
In recognition
of the unique circumstances surrounding the project, Altaaqa Global carefully
calculated the risks involved in staying in Yemen amidst the security advisory
and ascertained the necessary counter-steps in cases of terrorist attacks. In
formulating a sustainable plan of action, Altaaqa Global employed a completely
new mindset and attempted to do what other companies considered as undoable.
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This photo was taken on the day when all Western embassies
closed down in Yemen, with Steven Meyrick, Board Representative of Altaaqa
Global and Mahmoud El Zaafarany, Sales Manager for MENA of Altaaqa Global
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Steven Meyrick (left), Board Representative of Altaaqa Global,
explains to the Governor of Aden (Middle) and PEC Director General (Right) how
the company’s power solutions ended the power crisis in Aden
The company
has set up a detailed plan on how to mitigate the effects of the security
instability in the country and on how to counter terrorist attacks, social
protests and politically motivated destabilization attempts.
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In addition
to services provided by the military and the company’s own security
agency, and to increased security barricades erected at the area of operation,
Altaaqa Global sought to be in harmony with the communities within the area
where it was building the 54 MW power plant. The company recognized the
importance of having the collective support of Aden’s citizenry in
successfully, peacefully and safely seeing the 54 MW power plant project
through completion. Towards this objective, Altaaqa Global hired and trained
local Yemeni engineers, which ultimately comprised 95% of the workforce for the
project.
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A Yemeni engineer in training on HSE global standards prior
to deployment. One challenge for Altaaqa Global in Yemen was to implement a
global HSE standard that will protect the lives of the workers, the integrity
of the equipment and the environment
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Some Yemeni engineers who were hired to take part in the 54
MW power plant project. They were all trained in matters of safety, health,
environment, quality and engineering installation
By hiring
Yemeni engineers, Altaaqa Global showed its commitment to helping its immediate
environs through the creation of employment opportunities in the areas where it
operates. The company invested a significant amount of resources to train the
Yemeni workforce in order to ensure that its operation was still on an optimum
level. Altaaqa Global’s ultimate goal was to transfer its technological and
technical know-how while maintaining its operational and safety standards and
processes.
As a result
of this intensive drive, Altaaqa Global was able to successfully complete the
project without any accidents, casualties or deaths.
As the 54 MW
project was being carried out during the Holy Month of Ramadan, Altaaqa Global would
host the Yemeni workers and the local communities to Iftar (breaking of the
fast) dinners. This brought the company closer to the locals, which, in turn,
provided the “first line of defense” to the company’s assets and equipment.
This proved that security transcends the exhibition of arms and uniforms – the
people of Aden themselves largely contributed in ensuring that the project was
successfully and peacefully seen through, recognizing the salient benefits that
a sustainable and continuous supply of power could afford their community.
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For the
local school children, Altaaqa Global also donated one crayon for every
kilowatt rented, which meant that the company donated 54,000 crayons to Yemeni
children. In addition to crayons, Altaaqa Global also handed out several
important school supplies, as notebooks, books, pens, pencils, bags and lunch
packs. For the company, this is a necessary step in achieving its goal of being
able to build classrooms for impoverished children in remote communities worldwide
by 2020.
Altaaqa Global launched an educational campaign in Yemen to
highlight the importance of saving electricity. The campaign lasted for six
months and was regarded as the first large-scale energy conservation campaign
in the country.
To further
optimize the benefits of having a sustainable and continuous power supply, the
citizens needed to be informed on how to conserve electricity. In this light,
Altaaqa Global, in collaboration with various social development entities and
non-governmental organizations, launched a six-month educational campaign in
Yemen on how to save energy by following simple steps that could be carried out
at home. The campaign was aimed at informing the citizens that having a supply
of electricity was just an initial step towards social stability. By educating
the local community of the adverse effects of power wastage, in synergy with
various local governments, schools, non-governmental organizations, media and
local communities, achieving sustainable power in Yemen was proven possible.
As part of
its commitment to help the local communities, Altaaqa Global invested a
significant amount of its resources in sports and arts programs that will help
foster a better understanding of various cultures, promote healthy living and
appreciation of arts. Altaaqa
Global sponsored AED 250,000 worth of its equipment for the world’s largest
Beach Polo event that will benefit various charitable institutions that focuses
on children’s education.
In addition
to a uniquely hostile environment, Aden was also suffering from various
technical and infrastructure deficiencies, including lack of power generation
facilities, unstable grid and insufficient power distribution amenities,
resulting in incessant power outages lasting for 14 hours at a time.
The 54 MW
power project in Aden called for a clear break from previously established
methods or processes. With the condition of the power infrastructure in Aden,
the project necessitated new technologies that would not require what was
absent from Aden. To this effect, Altaaqa Global installed the most advanced
power plants that could directly be hooked to the grid without the need for a
substation. The power plants were also equipped with the most advanced
protection system and operational mode that allowed them to switch from island
to grid to base load to standby power in just a push of a button.
The power
plants installed in Aden has radically changed the landscape of the power
industry. Altaaqa Global’s temporary power solutions were real breakthrough
technologies for a diverse range of industries.
Altaaqa
Global’s generators were touted to be the most cost-effective equipment in the
temporary power industry. The company’s power plants had lesser footprint and a
smaller number of accessories, resulting in lower transportation cost, lesser
installation time and reduced manpower. All the company’s machines were in
modular containers for easy transport and could be “plugged and played” for a
swift installation.
The power plants
installed in Aden has radically changed the landscape of the power industry.
Altaaqa Global’s temporary power solutions were real breakthrough technologies
for a diverse range of industries, including utilities, oil & gas, mining
and industrial manufacturing, which were facing the dreaded consequences of
unstable power and regular blackouts.
Altaaqa
Global’s highly skilled engineers are ready to be deployed and prepared to
serve at a moment’s notice, even in hostile places, like Aden at the close of the Arab Spring revolution.
Altaaqa
Global recognized that no matter how advanced a system was, only a highly
competent and experienced team of engineers could make it achieve optimal
performance. In line with this, the company made sure that its engineers has
all understood and imbibed the critical nature of the 54 MW project at hand. In
support of the engineers’ expertise, Altaaqa Global also made sure that after-sales
and service parts and equipment were available at any time in its warehouse in
Jebel Ali, Dubai or from over 1,700 Caterpillar dealer locations
worldwide.
Impact and Benefits
Thanks to a
well-defined plan of action, impeccable coordination among various project
stakeholders, over 100 years of combined expertise on the ground, groundbreaking
power technologies, close relationship with the locals, and unwavering
commitment, Altaaqa Global did what others thought was impossible: It
successfully, peacefully and safely installed 54 MW of power in mere 23 days. The
installed power plant benefitted more than half a million people.
In the
advent of the 54 MW temporary power plant, businesses were afforded continuous
and sustainable power to avoid losses, local employment opportunities were
maintained, schools resumed classes, hospitals recommenced operations,
political and social unrest progressively subsided and the trust in the
national government was gradually restored.
In addition,
Altaaqa Global was able to create job opportunities for and hone the ingenuity
of the local communities; support local school children in their education by
distributing necessary educational items and supplies; and encourage the
community to participate in various sports and arts programs to help them lift
the traumatic effects of the then-just-concluded mass revolution, and
appreciate cultural diversity, the benefits of healthy living and the beauty
and meaning of art. The company was also able to successfully launch and sustain
planned energy conservation campaigns within the projected duration.
The project
had had tangible benefits to Aden that its Government has added another 50 MW to the exisiting installation, bringing the plant's total capacity to more than 100 MW.
The Governor of Aden, Yemen and the Director-General or
Public Electricity Corporation inaugurated the 54 MW power plant. They are
flanked by several local tribe leaders and Altaaqa Global officials.
Reason
Altaaqa
Global did not just construct a power plant in Yemen: It helped rebuild a
nation, it assisted in uniting a divided country, it aided in tapering an
insurgent mass demonstration and it supported a land picking up the pieces
after a revolution. For the people of Aden, having light in their homes and
establishments meant being able to continue a company’s operations and retain
employees, to work in the morning and safely go back one’s family at night, to
provide food on their tables, and to learn to read and write for a better
tomorrow. For the Government of Yemen, a sustainable power supply meant that
industries would continue to thrive, administrative services would consistently
be offered, and social necessities would be attended to. For Yemen, a
sustainable source of energy meant equal opportunities for the citizens, bridging
the economic gap between the North and the South, and an illuminated path
towards a lasting national unity.
Watch the video, below, and learn how Altaaqa Global built a power plant in just 23 days, helping more than half a million people in Yemen. The project avoided political, economic and social tension in Yemen.
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