In Lahore, Pakistan, there is a seven-year-old girl with an amateur interest in gas turbine maintenance. Over the past few months, Waqas Ahmad, a senior customer portfolio manager at GE Vernova, has given his curious daughter a layman’s introduction to heavy-duty turbine inspections.

Several forces within GE Vernova align in its new Energy of Change in Action storytelling campaign: a century-old commitment to breakthrough ideas, the relentless optimism of the company’s employees, and their common sense of purpose in meeting tomorrow’s challenges today. From developing advanced grid technologies in France to leading wind services in Brazil to managing turbine sites around the world, GE Vernova’s brilliant engineers are driving the energy transition forward.

A bolt of lightning crackles through the air. An instant later there’s a flash, followed by an ominous sizzle: the lightning struck a powerline. Normally, you’d run inside and call the electric company.

Like many science-obsessed kids in the 1990s, William Tan wanted to be an astronaut when he grew up. Then came a reality check. “I realized I wasn’t a citizen of a country that sent people to space,” says Malaysian-born-and-raised Tan, who is now senior robotics and autonomous systems engineer at GE Vernova’s Advanced Research Center in Niskayuna, New York.

The 2020s have a lot in common with the 1920s when it comes to the buildout of electrical power. Back then, grids were largely driven by coal, which was polluting, to be sure, but offered stability to big, national electrical systems with power plants that often ran uninterrupted for long periods of time. Then came hydropower, with its distant electrical power generators. Power engineers, trying to figure out how to transmit power from faraway places, developed an unusual machine called a synchronous condenser.

A charming aphorism like “A dollar saved is a dollar earned” probably sounds old-fashioned to the modern ear. In the world of manufacturing, however, where gains from efficiency can be substantial, the observation stands as an enduring truth. Today’s great industrial game, while still concentrating on financial savings, is very much directed to emissions savings, and all the ways to reduce energy inputs. How to approach that, exactly?

Global electricity demand busted out of its slumber last year, largely attributed to factors such as industrialization, data centers, and electric vehicles, leaping forward by 4.3%. That’s more than twice the annual average of the past decade, according to the International Energy Agency.

NAIROBI, Kenya (June 11, 2025) – GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) today announced that the GE Vernova-Larsen & Toubro (L&T) consortium will build an advanced National System Control Center (NSCC) for Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) to monitor and manage Kenya’s national electricity grid. The work will include constructing a Main Control Centre building in Embakasi, equipped with advanced grid software solutions and the latest substation automation, monitoring, and communication equipment. Additionally, an Emergency Control Centre building in Suswa will be constructed, featuring the same systems and an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system for transmission operations. GE Vernova booked the order in the first quarter of 2025.

Kenya's Electricity Goals
Kenya has set ambitious electricity goals aimed at achieving universal access and transitioning to a sustainable energy future. The country aims to ensure that 100% of its population has access to reliable and affordable electricity by 2030. To achieve this, Kenya is investing heavily in expanding its electricity grid and enhancing generation capacity. Additionally, Kenya is focusing on enhancing energy efficiency and developing smart grid technologies to optimize electricity transmission, distribution and consumption.

“A new, advanced NSCC is essential for managing increased electricity demand as Kenya's economy grows. When commissioned, the new NSCC system would play a critical role in supporting our mandate as System Operator(SO). It will ensure reliable, secure, and efficient electricity transmission across the country. It is a game-changer for Kenya’s electricity transmission capabilities, significantly improving our ability to manage the grid, enhance the quality of power, and integrate renewable energy sources,” said Dr. Eng. John Mativo, MBS, Managing Director and CEO at KETRACO.

Consortium Roles and Responsibilities
GE Vernova, through its French entity Grid Solutions SAS, will lead the consortium and provide advanced grid technology from its Electrification Software and Grid Automation portfolio. This technology includes two solutions from its GridOS® orchestration software portfolio—Advanced Energy Management Systems (AEMS) and Wide Area Management Systems (WAMS)—Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM), and several solutions from its grid automation portfolio - GridBeats™ - Asset Performance Management System (APM), Condition Monitoring devices, Substation Automation Systems, and Telecommunication Systems. Larsen & Toubro will handle all civil works, including the construction of two fully equipped greenfield control center buildings, equipment installation, and support for system configuration, testing, and commissioning. The project is expected to be completed within three years.

“GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to handle projects of this scale and complexity, requiring both advanced software solutions and grid automation equipment, as well as unique financing solutions. With our comprehensive capabilities in managing such projects end-to-end, we believe KETRACO will significantly benefit from GE Vernova’s expertise, ensuring seamless integration and operational efficiency from project inception to completion,” said Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Vernova’s Electrification Systems businesses. “By providing Kenya with an advanced electricity control center, we’re aiming to enhance the reliability and efficiency of its national grid. This is a pivotal step in paving the way for a more sustainable future that supports the country’s electrification and decarbonization goals.”

Financial and Development Support
The project is made possible through a financing partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Treasury, which are providing vital support to KETRACO for the development of a stronger and more sustainable electricity grid in Kenya. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing Kenya’s energy goals by enabling more reliable and efficient power infrastructure.

“France is committed to supporting sustainable infrastructure projects in Kenya, notably in the Power sector, as part of the broader ongoing collaboration between Kenya and France on energy transition and climate. A modern NSCC will make the Kenyan grid more resilient and reliable, enabling the integration of more variable renewable energy and ultimately providing more reliable and affordable power to Kenya’s businesses and households. The project is fully financed by France with two separate and complementary financing from AFD and the French Treasury, supported by a related grand from the European Union dedicated to Capacity building,” said H.E Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya.

GE Vernova’s Financial Services business played an integral role in the procurement process, advising the consortium and securing concessional financing from the French Treasury to supplement AFD’s funding. This seamless partnership showcases the importance of combining technical expertise with innovative financing to deliver impactful, future-ready energy solutions.

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Notes to Editors
A National System Control Center (NSCC) is like a central brain of a country's electricity grid. It's responsible for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing the flow of electricity across the entire power system. It can also effectively integrate renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal into the grid. Real-time monitoring allows for prompt corrective actions, improving grid stability and reducing the risk of power outages and blackouts.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (May 28, 2025): GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV) today announced it has secured an order for five 7H-Class gas turbines - three 7HA.03 and two 7HA.02 units from Técnicas Reunidas and Orascom Construction (TR & ORASCOM CONSTRUCTION). The two companies have signed, under a 50-50 joint venture, the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for Qurayyah Independent Power Plant (IPP) Expansion Project in the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia).

This expansion project, a 3 gigawatt (GW) combined cycle gas-fired power plant with readiness to build a carbon capture unit, aims to bolster electricity production capacity and enhance operational efficiency in Saudi Arabia. Expanding Saudi Arabia’s fleet of combined cycle power plants plays a crucial role in Saudi Arabia’s plan to generate half of its electricity from gas by 2030 and half from renewables, paving the way to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2060.

Hajr Two Electricity Co., a company owned by ACWA Power, the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), and Haji Abdullah Alireza & Co. Ltd signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the Qurayyah Independent Power Plant (IPP) Expansion Project with the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC – Principal Buyer) in February 2025.

Hajr Two Electricity Co. commented: “The QIPP Expansion Project is a very ambitious project and we are proud to support its development. We look forward to working with TR & ORASCOM CONSTRUCTION and GE Vernova to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s enhancement of its electricity supply as the Kingdom transitions its power generation mix to incorporate more renewable energy in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and its ambitious sustainability targets.”

“QIPP project is evidence of Saudi Arabia’s strong belief in the future of gas as it emits less CO₂ and other pollutants than oil-fueled power plants” said Joseph Anis, President & CEO of GE Vernova's Gas Power business in Europe, Middle East & Africa. “We have developed a productive and successful relationship with TR & ORASCOM CONSTRUCTION building on our proven expertise in natural gas combined cycle plant engineering, operability, and plant integration, and we are delighted to deploy some of our most advanced power generation technologies, with the potential to integrate carbon capture solutions to help significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions in QIPP’s and other gas power plants in Saudi Arabia.”

GE Vernova has been playing a pivotal role in fostering the evolution of the Kingdom’s energy infrastructure for almost 90 years, supporting economic diversification, localization, high value exports, and talent development efforts and still does so today in support of Saudi Vision 2030.

The company currently employs approximately 850 people in Saudi Arabia. GE Vernova’s investments in the Kingdom include the Khobar Integration Facility (KIF) for grid solutions, as well as the GE Manufacturing and Technology Center (GEMTEC) campus in Dammam, which encompasses a Services and Repairs Center for gas turbines, the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines (GESAT) facility for the manufacturing of gas turbines, components and accessory modules, the GE MENA Decarbonization Center of Excellence, and a Monitoring & Diagnostics Center for the remote monitoring of power generation assets.

END

Notes to editors

For Financial editors: This announcement was included in GE Vernova's recent announcement of initiatives worth up to $14.2 billion in Saudi Arabia, as part of the $2 billion in backlog the first quarter of 2025.

The peculiar machine described in the 1920 issue of GE Review — essentially a giant engine designed to produce no mechanical power — seems like nothing more than a charming relic from the early years of electrification.