Message from Stefan Kipp EMD of AlBihouth
Welcome to our September newsletter. I am pleased to report that on the 11th of this month we successfully tested our second boiler (line 1), and works have already started fitting refractory linings and external insulation. As an additional assurance measure, I have commissioned a third-party analysis of the welding works and radiographic testing carried out in our boiler systems. Works at the 400kv Substation are progressing well, with the HV switchgear and connecting apparatus now installed and awaiting testing, and the interface building nearing completion. Our teams are now liaising with the network operators and regulators to ensure our connection to the HV grid is timely and seamless.
Project Summary to date
Pressure testing and flushing of our plant fire system has been ongoing this month, including the deluge tests for the main and auxiliary transformers. Our fire system must be approved by the Civil Defense before any of the plant buildings can be occupied, and before waste can be received into the waste bunker. Our project insurers conducted a site visit this month, to assess the status of fire protection measures in place during the construction phase, and to review the installation of the plant fire protection system. Plant insurance during the operations phase is essential, and we must demonstrate our compliance to the NFPA standards to satisfy insurers requirements. Following the successful pulling of the 400kv cables to the TAQA substation, the cable trench has been fully closed this month. Final connections of our supply cables to the switchgear in the substation will take place after high voltage testing of our gas insulated switchgear and gas insulated bus ducts which are now installed. HV testing is carefully regulated by the authorities and my team have been working closely with EWEC and TAQA engineers to ensure that testing is permitted and executed to standards. Exact timing is also required during these phases as our final connection to the main Abu Dhabi power grid requires an outage of the system. The grid operator must ensure that these events are controlled to minimize disruption to grid users and other projects requiring grid connection. Recent heavy rain events in spring 2024, and earlier this year caused extensive flooding at site and this has prompted the development of a flood protection system for the plant. To date we have contracted specialist service providers to conduct hydrology studies for the site, and we are now developing a flood protection scheme, that will involve building a dam around the site boundary, protecting the low areas where external flood water can enter. Developments adjacent to our plant will also impact the overall hydrology of the area, and I have held meetings with their project management team to discuss a joined-up approach to this shared risk. As we look ahead to first waste delivery in Q1 2027, my team now have monthly meetings with our colleagues from Tajmee’e, who will be responsible to Tadweer for the delivery of waste to site and the removal of ash and combustion residues. Our EPC contractor has developed a driver training program that Tajmee’e drivers will undertake before waste delivery operations, and we are preparing the necessary procedures and protocols for the safe and efficient use of our plant systems.
Representatives from EAD’s CEMS team will be attending our site next month, to assess the emissions monitoring equipment that our EPC is installing. Before we begin stable waste incineration operations, our monitoring equipment must be installed, tested and connected to the EAD portal. Our Operations Environmental Monitoring Procedure is under review at EAD this month, and we expect to receive approval for the document during Q4 2026. Once our plans are approved, we can apply for our Operations Permit, that will describe all the environmental monitoring requirements needed, and allow us to operate the plant. My team will be attending an EAD seminar next month to learn more about our integration into the Abu Dhabi environmental monitoring network.
The hot weather stand-down officially ended on the 15th September, and our crews have now resumed regular working hours. We have conducted a review of our heat stress management safety campaign, and I am pleased to report that throughout the hot summer months we had zero Heat Stress cases reported. Out EPC contractor will continue with the heat stress management campaign until the end of September and the next safety campaign will be focused on Commissioning Safety. On Friday 25th September we bid a fond farewell to Johannes Olivier, our civil contractor’s HSE manager, and we welcome his replacement Imran to the ADWtE project team.