Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Limited (QATPL), Harbin Electric International (HEI) and GE Power have completed combined cycle commissioning activities and announced the start of commercial operations at the Bhikki Power Plant in Pakistan.

The facility is now adding up to 1,180 megawatts (MW) of power to the national grid - the equivalent power needed to supply up to 2.4 million Pakistani homes.

The plant is owned by QATPL, and HEI is the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project, responsible for setting up the power plant and all commissioning activities. GE has supplied two units of its HA technology – the world’s most efficient heavy-duty gas turbine,  which is increasingly being deployed in the Middle East region, too – as well as associated equipment and technical advisory services for the facility.

“We realize that the country’s energy needs are immediate and growing and have left no stone unturned in meeting these needs,” said Akhtar Hussain, chief operating officer of QATPL. “Bhikki Power Plant is expected to run for up to 30 years and will help to power homes, villages, towns and cities across Pakistan. The selection of GE’s HA gas turbines, which have helped to deliver world record levels of combined cycle efficiency, will help ensure that the power generated at Bhikki is reliable, affordable and leaves a smaller environmental footprint than average, to the benefit of millions of Pakistanis.”

Mohamad Ali, president & CEO of GE’s Gas Power Systems – Projects in the Middle East, Pakistan and India, added: “Uninterrupted, affordable power is a cornerstone of modern societies. The successful completion of the Bhikki Power Plant will benefit communities, businesses and industries across Pakistan and lead the way in helping to secure the country’s energy future. We are honoured to support the government, our customer and the people of Pakistan in establishing this state-of-the-art facility.”

GE’s HA technology also equips Pakistan’s Haveli Bahadur Shah (HBS) and Balloki power plants. Together, HBS, Bhikki and Balloki power plants are a significant component of the government’s strategy to enhance access to electricity to over 90 percent of the population and are expected to add a total of up to 3,600 MW to Pakistan’s grid.

The technology is the fastest growing fleet of heavy-duty gas turbines today, with more than 75 units ordered to date by over 25 customers across more than 15 countries, including the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Pakistan, Japan, Bahrain, China, France and others. More than 20 units are already operational, clocking in over 100,000 operating hours.

The technology offers tremendous potential for the Middle East region as well, where governments are focused on enhancing energy sector efficiency and reliability. It has now helped to deliver two world records - one for powering the world’s most efficient combined-cycle power plant, based on achieving 63.08 percent gross efficiency at Chubu Electric Nishi-Nagoya Power Plant Block-1 in Japan and another for helping EDF’s Bouchain Power Plant achieve 62.22 percent net combined cycle efficiency in France.

Furthermore, the HA can ramp up or down quickly, while still meeting emissions requirements to help maintain grid stability. It thus offers an excellent flexible complement to renewable sources as the Middle East region looks to increase the proportion of solar and wind power in the energy mix, which is intermittent in nature and can fluctuate by time of day and season. – TradeArabia News Service