1223 MW Plant Up In Pakistan

The 1223 MW Balloki power plant in Pakistan is now in operation.

The completion of the commissioning and performance tests was announced by the National Power Parks Management Co. Ltd. (NPPMCL), Harbin Electric International Co. Ltd. (HEI) and GE, which supplied two HA gas turbines, some auxiliary equipment and technical advisory services.

“I am proud to announce that the Balloki project is now able to supply up to 1223 MW of uninterrupted power to the national grid, the equivalent electricity needed to supply up to 2.5 million Pakistani homes,” said Rashid Mahmood, CEO of NPPMCL. “This is the second regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) power project developed by NPPMCL, the first being the Haveli Bahadur Shah (HBS) power plant, which entered full-fledged combined cycle commercial operations in May 2018. Together, the HBS and Balloki plants have already added over 5.5 billion kW hours of power to the national grid while in the commissioning phase and they will continue to deliver efficient, low cost power for up to 30 years, making a meaningful difference in the lives of the people of Pakistan.”

The contract to set up the plant was awarded by NPPMCL to HEI, which is the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project and responsible for its installation works and commissioning schedule. HEI sub-contracted GE. The plant had earlier synchronizing an HA unit to the grid just 74 days after it was delivered to the project site, the shortest duration in which GE’s HA technology has achieved this milestone anywhere in the world, the companies said.

GE said its HA technology has now helped to deliver two world records—one for powering the world’s most efficient combined-cycle power plant, based on achieving 63.08% gross efficiency at Chubu Electric Nishi-Nagoya Power Plant Block-1 in Japan and another for helping EDF’s Bouchain Power Plant achieve 62.22% net combined cycle efficiency in France. It has thus been recognized for record-setting efficiency in both 60 hertz and 50 hertz markets. Balloki is the third RLNG project equipped with GE’s HA technology to reach completion in Pakistan, following the Haveli Bahadur Shah and Bhikki power plants. The three facilities are among the most efficient combined cycle power plants in the world today, adding a total of up to 3600 MW to Pakistan’s national grid. Efficiency matters as each point of efficiency can generate up to US$50 million of fuel savings over 10 years for a 1,00 MW power plant, GE said.

“For more than 50 years, GE has delivered advanced technologies and worked to transform the power sector in Pakistan, and today marks an important milestone in our journey,” said Russell Stokes, president and CEO of GE Power.  “Our HA technology at the Bhikki, Haveli Bahadur Shah, and now Balloki power plants, is providing Pakistan with efficient, flexible, reliable and low cost power, enhancing the country’s ability to meet its growing energy needs and improve the lives of millions of citizens.”