ONEX and GE Vernova celebrate long-term collaboration with the world’s first AGP XPAND upgrade

Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, 28 April 2025 — GE Vernova announced its AGP XPAND upgrade, an evolution of its proven Advanced Gas Path (AGP) technology for 9E.03 gas turbines. The first AGP XPAND is planned for installation at the 1,250 MW Bazian power plant, operated by ONEX.

The announcement was celebrated in Sulaymaniyah in the presence of H.E. Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government; H.E. Kamal Mohammad Salih Khalil, KRG Minister of Electricity; and Steven Bitner, U.S. Consul General in Erbil.

The technology is designed to increase 9E.03 gas turbine output by up to approximately 7%, with around 1% incremental efficiency, while keeping reliability, availability and maintenance largely unchanged. Exhaust energy can also increase by up to 2.6% to produce more steam or power in combined-cycle plants such as Bazian.

The Bazian site is powered by four GE Vernova 9E.03 and two 9F.04 gas turbines, fuelled primarily by natural gas with light fuel oil as back-up, and engineered for base-load operation over an expected lifetime of 25–30 years. The upgrade is expected to deliver additional much-needed electricity to the Kurdistan Region and to nearby governorates including Mosul and Salahaldin.

A new 17-year long-term service agreement was also signed, covering four 9E units and including the first 9E Rotor Life Extension package in Iraq.

“For over a decade, we have been utilising GE Vernova’s technology, and we are proud that ONEX is leading the way in bringing this breakthrough technology to Iraq. By utilising the Kurdistan Region’s natural gas resources and power generation capacity, we are laying the foundation to create an energy hub.” — Sheikh Saad Tayeb Hasan, Founder & Chairman, ONEX