Pakistan has officially inaugurated the Bhikki Power Plant, a 1.18GW combined-cycle power plant located in Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab province.
Image: A GE-built 9HA gas turbine. Photo: courtesy of General Electric.
The power plant, owned by the Punjab government-owned Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power (QATPL), can meet the power consumption needs of up to 2.4 million Pakistani homes.
QATPL chief operating officer Akhtar Hussain said: “Bhikki Power Plant is expected to run for up to 30 years and will help to power homes, villages, towns and cities across Pakistan.
“The selection of GE’s HA gas turbines, which have helped to deliver world record levels of combined cycle efficiency, will help ensure that the power generated at Bhikki is reliable, affordable and leaves a smaller environmental footprint than average, to the benefit of millions of Pakistanis.”
China-based Harbin Electric International (HEI), the EPC contractor and GE Power had recently completed the combined cycle commissioning activities of the Bhikki Power Plant to pave way for the start of full-fledged commercial operations.
The new Pakistani power plant, which will be operated on imported supplies of liquefied natural gas, is equipped with two 9HA.01 gas turbines and associated equipment supplied by GE Power.
Earlier this month, GE reported that the second 9HA gas turbine at the power plant had achieved first fire and synchronization, within 18 months since the project was first announced. The first GE 9HA gas turbine achieved first fire in February.
GE gas power systems – projects in the Middle East, Pakistan and India president & CEO Mohamad Ali said: “Uninterrupted, affordable power is a cornerstone of modern societies.
“The successful completion of the Bhikki Power Plant will benefit communities, businesses and industries across Pakistan and lead the way in helping to secure the country’s energy future.”
The full commissioning of the Bhikki Power Plant follows the 1,230MW Haveli Bahadur Shah combined cycle power plant in Jhang, also in Punjab province which entered into commercial operations earlier this month.
GE Power had played a role in the Haveli Bahadur Shah power project as well by supplying its two 9HA gas turbines, a steam turbine and two heat recovery steam generators.