Balloki power plant: First fire test of gas turbine completed in record time
Gas turbine is now delivering up to 380 megawatts of electricity
PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
With the Balloki power plant expected to be commissioned later this year, General Electric (GE) and Harbin Electric International Company Limited have completed the first fire test of a 9HA gas turbine in just 66 days after the unit’s delivery to the project site.
In addition to this, synchronisation of the gas turbine has been achieved in only 74 days, the shortest duration globally in which GE’s H-class turbines have been test-fired and synchronised to the national grid since their arrival at the site of the power plant in Pattoki, Punjab.
NTDC connects Balloki plant to national grid
This underlines “the strong collaboration between National Power Parks Management Company Limited (NPPMCL), GE and Harbin Electric in driving the commissioning of the project,” GE said in a statement on Thursday.
The previous record was held by the Haveli Bahadur Shah power plant where the duration from delivery to first fire test was eight days longer than that at Balloki.
Developed by the government of Pakistan through NPPMCL, the 1.2-gigawatt combined-cycle Balloki power plant will help address growing electricity needs of the country and will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
GE has supplied two 9HA.01 gas turbines and one steam turbine with Harbin Electric as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner for the project.
First fire is a critical test in which gas turbine is switched on and operated with fuel at the site. The following step is synchronisation, in which the unit is connected to the national grid.
The first 9HA gas turbine at Balloki is now delivering up to 380 megawatts of energy.
NPPMCL Chief Executive Officer Rashid Mahmood Langrial said, “We are committed to delivering on the government’s vision to strengthen power generation in Pakistan and meet growing needs for power for residential and commercial use.
Nawaz orders release of Rs104 billion for subsidy
“With the first fire and synchronisation of the first gas turbine, Balloki is on schedule to enter operation and will support people and national economic growth.”
GE’s Gas Power Systems - Projects in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and India President and CEO Mohamad Ali said, “Balloki marked the 24th and 25th orders for our heavy-duty 9HA gas turbine globally and the first fire and synchronisation follows our similar track record in Bhikki and Haveli Bahadur Shah power plants.”
The first fire and synchronisation of the Balloki gas turbine follows the recent success of GE and Harbin Electric at the Bhikki power plant, which also runs on LNG and will generate up to 1,180MW - the equivalent power needed to supply about 2.5 million Pakistani homes.
In addition to the 9HA gas turbines, the Balloki power plant will have a primary re-gasified LNG fuel system, a secondary diesel fuel system, water-cooled condensers and a cooling tower.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2017.
With the Balloki power plant expected to be commissioned later this year, General Electric (GE) and Harbin Electric International Company Limited have completed the first fire test of a 9HA gas turbine in just 66 days after the unit’s delivery to the project site.
In addition to this, synchronisation of the gas turbine has been achieved in only 74 days, the shortest duration globally in which GE’s H-class turbines have been test-fired and synchronised to the national grid since their arrival at the site of the power plant in Pattoki, Punjab.
NTDC connects Balloki plant to national grid
This underlines “the strong collaboration between National Power Parks Management Company Limited (NPPMCL), GE and Harbin Electric in driving the commissioning of the project,” GE said in a statement on Thursday.
The previous record was held by the Haveli Bahadur Shah power plant where the duration from delivery to first fire test was eight days longer than that at Balloki.
Developed by the government of Pakistan through NPPMCL, the 1.2-gigawatt combined-cycle Balloki power plant will help address growing electricity needs of the country and will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
GE has supplied two 9HA.01 gas turbines and one steam turbine with Harbin Electric as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner for the project.
First fire is a critical test in which gas turbine is switched on and operated with fuel at the site. The following step is synchronisation, in which the unit is connected to the national grid.
The first 9HA gas turbine at Balloki is now delivering up to 380 megawatts of energy.
NPPMCL Chief Executive Officer Rashid Mahmood Langrial said, “We are committed to delivering on the government’s vision to strengthen power generation in Pakistan and meet growing needs for power for residential and commercial use.
Nawaz orders release of Rs104 billion for subsidy
“With the first fire and synchronisation of the first gas turbine, Balloki is on schedule to enter operation and will support people and national economic growth.”
GE’s Gas Power Systems - Projects in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and India President and CEO Mohamad Ali said, “Balloki marked the 24th and 25th orders for our heavy-duty 9HA gas turbine globally and the first fire and synchronisation follows our similar track record in Bhikki and Haveli Bahadur Shah power plants.”
The first fire and synchronisation of the Balloki gas turbine follows the recent success of GE and Harbin Electric at the Bhikki power plant, which also runs on LNG and will generate up to 1,180MW - the equivalent power needed to supply about 2.5 million Pakistani homes.
In addition to the 9HA gas turbines, the Balloki power plant will have a primary re-gasified LNG fuel system, a secondary diesel fuel system, water-cooled condensers and a cooling tower.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2017.