Pakistan has changed the fuel source of the Nandipur Power Plant from furnace oil to liquefied natural gas (LNG) thereby increasing its capacity to 525MW.
Located near Gujranwala in Punjab state, the Nandipur Power Plant which has been generating power since July 2015 had failed to produce at its capacity, following which the authorities had decided to change the fuel source.
The originally 425MW combined cycle thermal power plant has been transformed to generate 100MW of additional power by laying out a new 88km natural gas pipeline, as reported by Geo TV.
Conversion of the power plant into a regasified LNG (RLNG) powered unit is expected to increase the energy generation as well as bring down the operating costs.
Currently, the power plant is being fed with LNG on a testing basis until 1 May when it will begin commercial generation for the first time since its transition.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) has started to provide natural gas for the plant, as reported by Dawn.
SNGPL managing director Amjad Latif has been quoted by the publication to have said: “Since the plant is running on trial basis, we are providing 10 to 30MMCFD of RLNG to it according to demand. And once the plant’s commercial operation starts, its total demand will be 100MMCFD.”
In February, Power China Group’s subsidiary MS Hydro Electric Power System Engineering Company of China (HEPSEC) received a 10-year operation and maintenance contract by Northern Power Generation Company (NPGCL) for the plant.
The Nandipur Power Plant has been plagued with problems ever since it was commissioned owing to technical and procedural shortcomings. It has also gone on to become one of the most expensive power plants to be built in the country, as reported by Pakistan Today.