• Taurus Energy selected as launch partner for inaugural AGP XPAND deployment at Iraq’s 1,250 megawatt (MW) Bazyan Power Plant
• Breakthrough technology underscores GE Vernova’s sustained R&D commitment to optimizing legacy gas power systems
• New AGP XPAND solution projected to elevate output and efficiency for existing 9E.03 gas turbines worldwide – potentially generating 5 gigawatts (GW) of cumulative global power gains

Sulaymaniyah, IRAQ (April 28,2025) – GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV) has introduced AGP XPAND, a next-generation enhancement of its established Advanced Gas Path (AGP) technology, specifically designed for the 9E.03 gas turbine fleet. This innovation will debut at the 1,250 MW Bazyan Power Plant in Iraq, operated by Taurus Energy – a subsidiary of Onex Group specializing in energy infrastructure, trading, and refining operations.

The official launch event in Sulaymaniyah featured prominent attendees including H.E. Qubad Talabani, Kurdistan Regional Government Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Kamal Mohammad Salih Khalil, Minister of Electricity, and U.S. Consul General Steven Bitner, alongside regional energy stakeholders.

Engineered to elevate performance metrics, the AGP XPAND upgrade boosts 9E.03 gas turbine output by approximately 7 percent while improving efficiency by 1 percent, maintaining existing reliability standards. The technology also increases exhaust energy by up to 2.6 percent, enhancing steam production capabilities for combined cycle and cogeneration facilities like Bazyan.

Taurus Energy’s Bazyan facility, equipped with four GE Vernova 9E.03 and two 9F.04 turbines, will transition to natural gas as primary fuel with light fuel oil backup. The upgrade positions the plant to deliver expanded power capacity to Kurdistan and neighboring regions including Mosul and Salahaldin during its 25-30 year operational lifespan.

Complementing the technology rollout, a 17-year service agreement was finalized covering four 9E turbines, including Iraq’s first 9E Rotor Life Extension package, strengthening the strategic partnership between GE Vernova and Taurus Energy.

“Our decade-plus collaboration with GE Vernova reaches new heights with this pioneering technology deployment in Iraq,” stated Sheikh Saad Tayeb Hasan, Founder & Chairman of ONEX. “By leveraging local natural gas resources and power generation expertise, we’re establishing a regional energy hub that addresses domestic needs while enabling power transmission to other areas. Today’s milestone reaffirms GE Vernova’s enduring commitment to Iraqi energy infrastructure.”

Revolutionary AGP Technology Advancement

Building on 9E fleet operational data and AGP technical enhancements, AGP XPAND features material and sealing innovations that significantly elevate firing temperatures beyond previous AGP limits. Developed across GE Vernova’s engineering hubs in Greenville, South Carolina, and Warsaw, Poland, components are manufactured at excellence centers in Belfort, France, and Vereseghyaz, Hungary.

Amit Kulkarni, Head of Product Management & Strategy, Gas Power at GE Vernova, emphasized: “With 730 global 9E installations – half concentrated in Middle East and Africa – we maintain the world’s largest E-class turbine fleet. Modernizing these assets offers rapid grid capacity expansion potential. Upgrading the existing 9E.03 base could generate 5 GW globally, yielding $100 million* annual fuel savings and unlocking $310 million* in incremental annual profitability through enhanced power output.”

The AGP XPAND retrofit, compatible with natural gas, distillate oil, and ash-bearing fuel configurations in simple or combined cycles, can be integrated during standard hot gas path inspections.

Joseph Anis, President & CEO of GE Vernova’s Gas Power business in Europe, Middle East, and Africa, noted: “This solution addresses critical energy demands in markets like Iraq with extensive 9E.03 installations. Our partnership with Taurus Energy ensures the Bazyan plant’s reliability remains central to Iraq’s economic growth initiatives.”

With six decades of Iraqi energy sector support, GE Vernova has delivered 19 GW of power capacity since 2011, commissioned 30+ substations post-2015, and facilitated $3 billion in energy project financing during the same period.

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