Long-term rental power from Cummins Power Generation is helping Riyadh receive fresh water from wells 250 km north of the city.

The company is working on a contract awarded by the Saudi Ministry of Water & Electricity to provide Riyadh with fresh water from the Hunnay water project which consists of 40 deep wells, pumping stations, holding tank and pipeline running across miles of desert.  In addition to the wells, three pumping stations spaced at 50 km intervals boost the water pressure in the pipeline to keep it flowing.  All the power to run the pumps comes from 76 containerisd 1,500 FLE rental power units from Cummins Power Generation.  Every unit is a complete pre-integrated system that includes an engine, generator, monitoring control, automatic transfer switch and switchgear equipment.
Each rental power unit produces 1,000 kW on a continuous basis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Forty of the units are located at the main pumping station, and the three booster pumping stations have 12 units each.
“Utility power did not exist in this area and is not planned to be available until later in the decade,” says Donald Watson, general manager, Cummins Power Generation. “Under these circumstances, it made sense to provide the power system on a long-term rental. We provided all the rental power units and installed the transformers, switchgear and accessories. The Cummins Power Generation distributor in Saudi Arabia, General Contracting Company, provided all the logistical support, operation and maintenance.”
The environmental conditions under which the units have to operate are sometimes brutal.  Daytime temperatures during the summer can reach 55 degrees C with a great deal of blowing dust.  Under these conditions, air filters have to be changed frequently and regular radiator maintenance is crucial.  Each rental power unit is normally taken out of service for oil and filter changes every 250 hours – or every 10 days.  Diesel fuel for the units is provided by the Saudi Ministry of Water & Electricity.
Not all of the rental power units are running at one time, according to Watson.  A few are idle and used as standby units when others are being maintained.  Also, the power demand varies with the demand for water.  “The ministry advises us when they are going to start extra pumps and then we start more rental power units to match the increased load,” says Watson.
After several years of operation, there have been no equipment problems that have interfered with supplying the required power.  The project has earned an “excellent” rating from the Ministry of Water & Electricity.
Cummins Power Generation is the only US manufacturer that completely builds its own power systems — generators, engines, controls, switchgear and paralleling equipment.
It supplies portable generator sets from 35 kW to 2 MW and its exclusive PowerCommand digital control comes with AmpSentry protection
All its units are sound attenuated (76 dBa or less at full power). The company deploys fully self-contained, trailerised power systems for easy transport, delivery and quick set up
The Buss bar is equipped with cam lock connectors. Other highlights are: fuel tank rentals (10–40 hours); electrical distribution panels (1,007–1,200 amps) and load banks (400–2,500 kW)
Cummins has a global presence with 170 distributors in 110 counties and major holding ports in Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and the Phillippines. Nearly 500 dealers in Europe, Africa and the Middle East provide parts and distribution and more than 1,000 trained and certified technicians support its installations on a 24/7 basis.