Adding electricity: Bhikki power plant’s second turbine arrives

The two turbines will contribute 716MW electricity in the national grid for minimising load shedding

The second of the three gas turbines to be installed at the under-construction Bhikki Power Plant in Sheikhupura has arrived from France. The first turbine was transported to the plant about 45 days ago.

The two turbines will start power generation by summer next year and contribute 716MW electricity in the national grid for minimising load shedding.

The new turbine has a capacity to generate 358MW electricity and special arrangements have been made for transporting it from Port Qasim, Karachi to the plant, where its installation is likely to start in 20 days.

Manufactured by General Electric, this 9HA gas turbine has been included in the Guinness Book of World Records because of its efficiency. The same turbine is used in Beauchene Power Plant in France –rated the best power generation plant because of its 62.22% efficiency.

The generator has been imported from New York while the remaining two gas turbines and as many generators are being manufactured by General Electric and will reach Pakistan in due course of time.

The civil work at Bhikki Power Plant in Sheikupura is in full swing and so far, more than 50% construction has been completed.

The plant will start production early 2017 and will be contributing 760MW to the national grid by the coming summer season. The power plant will start producing at its optimum level by the end of next year.

The 1180MW Bhikki Power Plant would use regasified liquefied natural gas as its primary fuel and would employ the highest efficiency machines to keep the cost of electricity to the end-consumer at its bare minimum.

The plant will be commissioned jointly by Harben Electric International of China and General Electric at a cost of Rs55 billion.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2016.