370MW added to national grid Bhikki power splant
LAHORE - Over 370MW has been added to the national grid after the second turbine of the 1,180MW Re-Gasified Liquefied Natural Gas fired thermal power plant at Bhikki (Sheikhupura) started generation on trial basis.
Before this, the test run of the plant’s first turbine had been started successfully on March 11, adding about 400MW to the national grid. According to the Ministry of Water and Power, the LNG based Bhikki power plant in Sheikhupura has an overall capacity of generating 1,180MW of electricity. The plant will save Rs 100 billion to the national exchequer. The Bhikki power plant is part of the government's consolidated strategy to overcome power shortage.
According to the ministry, there will be huge addition in power generation as Chashma-3, Chashma-4, Tarbela-4 and alternative energy resources power plants including wind and solar will be completed in the near future. The ministry said work on power plants and transmission lines is being done at fast pace.
The trial generation of the plant’s second turbine was started during late Thursday night. “The turbine was operated on full scale and it touched a figure of 400MW. Later, its operation was observed to be stabled at 372MW on early Friday morning and finally it was synchronised with the national grid,” Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power (Private) Limited Chief Executive Officer Ahad Khan Cheema said.
He said that like the first turbine, the second turbine’s trial operation will be examined on technical grounds through tests and protocols etc, as it would not be run on a regular basis in coming days. And this process will continue for next couple of weeks, he added. Cheema said turbine’s trial power generation was in simple cycle mode and it would increase once it started generation in combine cycle mode after installation and trial operation of the third turbine (called steam turbine).
He said the regular operation of the two turbines would initially generate 750MW and it will gradually increase to 780MW or so. And after installation and operation of the third turbine, the combine cycle operation of the total three turbines will be completed, enabling the plant to generate about 1180MW. “In such situation, each turbine will generate over 393MW,” he explained.
He said the Bhikki project was expected to be completed by December, this year as per deadline fixed by the government. “Since we are meeting our timeline in every aspect related to this project, it will really be a record if we succeed in accomplishing this mega project by December, this year,” he added.
Energy experts said that Water and Power Development Authority would add around 2,485 megawatts by the next year after the completion of three hydropower projects. The projects are expected to complete between this year-end and the mid of 2018. The projects include 969MW-Neelum Jhelum hydropower plants, 1,410MW-Tarbela 4th extension and 106MW-Golen Gol hydropower plants.
Wapda projects were marred with delays due to certain reasons and missed timelines of their completion. First unit of Tarbela 4th extension will be completed by end of this year, while two remaining units will be ready during the high water flow season in 2018. Likewise, first unit of Neelum Jhelum hydropower project will start electricity generation by February next year, second unit in mid March and the third and fourth units will be completed in April 2018.
Similarly, first unit of Golen Gol hydropower project will be inaugurated in December this year, while overall completion of the project is scheduled in August 2018. Kachhi canal project is being completed in phased manner. The issue of land acquisition for Dasu hydropower project, which had been lingering for the last two years, has finally been resolved with the signing of an agreement with 80-member Jirga of the local notables of Kohistan district in December 2016 for smooth and speedy land acquisition.
