Wind project to start power production in November

FFC’s clean energy project to generate 50 megawatts.

KARACHI: The clean energy project of FFC Energy Limited (FFCEL) in Jhimpir, Thatta, with 33 wind turbines capable of producing a total of 50 megawatts, is expected to start full-fledged electricity production in November, Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) Managing Director Lt-Gen (Retired) Naeem Khalid Lodhi told journalists during a visit to the 1,283-acre wind farm on Monday.

The project has been completed in one and a half years at a total cost of $134 million with the entire financing coming from local banks.

“We’re considering expanding production up to 250MW,” Lodhi said, adding final decision would be taken in the next six months based on the government’s reaction following the commencement of electricity production.

Power generated from 33 wind turbines – each of them having production capacity of 1.5MW – will be supplied to the national grid. The levelised tariff will be 14 cents per kilowatt hour, meaning that it can be as high as 18-20 cents per unit compared to five cents expected after 10 years of operation. “It’ll be cheaper than any liquid fuel available.”

A local company, Descon Engineering Limited, manufactured the steel towers for the wind turbines. However, blades and generators were imported from Germany because of their hi-tech nature, Lodhi said.

The project was benchmarked against similar wind farms established in Egypt and Yemen given the similar climatic conditions that existed there, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2012.