Empowering reliability: Integrated control solutions for Marafiq desalination facility

The challenge

In the arid Middle East, water scarcity is a growing concern. Marafiq, a leading Saudi Arabian power and water utility, operates a major desalination facility that delivers over 500,000 cubic meters of fresh water daily. To meet these demands, the facility is powered by a four-unit block of gas and steam turbines, generating over 2,000 MW. Given the critical need for reliability and availability, Marafiq sought a seamless, integrated control system to optimize both power generation and desalination processes.

The solution

GE Vernova provided a comprehensive control suite tailored to Marafiq’s unique operational needs. This included:

• Mark VIe Turbine Control System—Enhancing turbine performance and system integration. 
• Ex2100e Excitation System—Helping ensure precise voltage regulation for stable power output. 
• Mark VIe Distributed Control System (DCS)—Providing unified control across power generation and desalination. 
• Performance Monitoring Solution—Managing over 70,000 I/O points for real-time operational insights.

This fully integrated architecture streamlined control and monitoring functions across the entire facility, supporting long-term reliability and efficiency.