Full Steam Ahead!

Operation excellence is the key factor in the success of ENGIE – Tihama Power Generation Company. Working under the aegis of the ENGIE Group, the Company is a power and steam generating company with 4 power and steam cogeneration plants in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. The cogeneration plants are all located within the boundaries of Saudi Aramco fuel processing facilities and are essential for Saudi Aramco process. The success of the team is due in no small part to the work of Eric Maka, named CEO of the Year, 2020 – The United Arab Emirates in CEO Monthly. We take a closer look to find out more.

ENGIE – Tihama Power Generation Company, one of the leading power and steam generating companies in Saudi Arabia, was established in 2003 to provide electrical power and process steam to four of Saudi Aramco’s refineries and gas plants in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Its continued success is a credit not only to the team who have made it such a critical part of Saudi Aramco’s infrastructure and the company’s partner, , but to visionary CEO Eric Maka.

Mr. Maka’s career with ENGIE started in 1995, when he was hired by Tractebel to supervise the construction of power and desalination projects in Belgium, Luxembourg, Singapore, Turkey, Kingdom of Bahrain and Sultanate of Oman. In 2011, ENGIE Group appointed him as SVP Asset Management (Construction) for South Asia, Middle East & Africa region based in Dubai. With eleven sites under construction, the task was not easy, but he proved crucial to the mission’s success. All projects were completed on time and within budget, including many with considerable cost underruns. Having managed such an astonishing achievement, Mr. Maka was promoted to act as head of construction, working his way through the firm to Head of Asset Management for KSA & Kuwait and finally to his current position as CEO of ENGIE – Tihama Power Generation Company.

In 2018 Mr Maka joined ENGIE – Tihama Power Generation Company from a corporate environment and has adapted extremely well to a challenging O&M environment with a demanding client. For the last two and a half years, he has guided the firm through a unique set of circumstances, ensuring that it thrives regardless. He took a more hands-on approach and reorganized of the head office reporting lines. He inspired the whole team to become the benchmark company for all the ENGIE assets in the region. He improved stakeholder engagement and communications, especially with its client Saudi Aramco giving extra care to their satisfaction. In addition to being empowered to represent the Company with authorities, regulatory agencies, lenders, banks and professional organisations, Mr. Maka has been involved in securing the future of the Company.

Of course, the role of CEO for this company is no small task. The 170-strong team ensures that Saudi Aramco is provided with 1,645 MW of electrical power and 6.3 Million Pounds per Hour of process steam for four of its refineries at Uthmaniyah, Shedgum, Ras Tanura and Ju’aymah.

The Company operates four electricity and steam co-generation power plants using General Electric frame seven gas turbines with associated steam generating industrial boilers under a 20-year Energy Conversion Agreement with Saudi Aramco. Needless to say, the ENGIE Group as a whole is fascinated by the potential that Saudi Arabia holds, and has put a great deal of time and effort into making the most of it. ENGIE currently provides 10% of the Kingdom’s power capacity and 11% of its desalinated water capacity and has achieved notable growth in Saudi Arabia, building its assets and project value to USD 8 billion. ENGIE plans to invest in assets and projects worth an additional USD 6 billion in the next 5 years. 

Under Mr. Maka’s expert leadership, ENGIE – Tihama Power Generation has maintained its status as a multicultural equal-opportunity employer, with more than 67% of its workforce being Saudi Nationals. Part of the work that Mr. Maka has been engaged with has revolved around the promotion of a safe company culture and an environment where good industrial practices can flourish. In short, Mr. Maka is not just a leader, but an ambassador for cultural change, where continuous improvement and a strong drive towards operational excellence is key.

Perhaps the biggest sign of Mr. Maka’s success with operational excellence is the certification that the company now operates under. The team is proud to achieve the ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, the ISO 55001 Asset Management Certification as well as holding NEBOSH Golden Safety Award-2014-2015-2018-2019-2020 for their impeccable standards.

When it comes to managing energy companies, it’s worth paying attention to how Mr. Maka has secured success for the ENGIE Group. Instead of coming in and making a stance, his work has revolved around ensuring that all stakeholders in the region feel comfortable with his methods. It’s a consistent approach that has brought major success to the region, and is one of the many reasons why the ENGIE Group as a whole must be one to watch for the foreseeable future.

For more information, contact: [email protected] or visit www.tihamapower.com