Lucky Electric plant in Bin Qasim, Pakistan is going to be the first lignite-fueled ultra-supercritical power plant across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey region.
The power plant will be constructed by SEPCOIII and General Electric (GE) will help build it. The new power plant will provide 660 megawatts (MW) to the national grid, the equivalent power needed to supply up to 1.3 million Pakistani homes and industries. and is planned to commence commercial operations in 2021.
Breakthrough boiler design by GE is specifically suited for generating power from Thar lignite, a fuel that is challenging to use because of its high moisture content. GE will provide advanced boiler and steam turbine technology to power Pakistan’s first ultra-supercritical power plant in DehGhangiaro, Bin Qasim, Karachi.
The boilers will use beater wheel mills and proven coal preparation technology, which is essential to handling high-moisture lignite. GE’s advanced boilers will help generate low-cost power efficiently and reliably from Thar lignite, which was long considered difficult to achieve because of the low calorific value and high moisture content of the fuel.
It is pertinent to mention here that Lucky Electric power project stands out as the first power plant located outside Thar district that will use lignite mined from the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) Mine at Thar Block II, in addition to imported lignite as back-up fuel. It is expected to set an example of how Thar coal can be transported over a distance and used reliably to produce power close to load centers.
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Sarim Sheikh, President and CEO of GE Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, spoke about the matter and said:
“Coal will remain a vital part of the energy mix in Pakistan. The ultra-supercritical technology by GE is not only reliable, affordable, and an efficient solution, but also helps to lower emissions. The turbines will generate up to 660 MW to help the country bridge the gap between electricity demand and available supply.”
“SEPCOIII has worked with GE for many years now on power projects around the world. We are confident that our collaboration, which brings together GE’s industry-leading technologies with SEPCOIII’s outstanding management skills and execution resources, will lead to the successful completion of this important project,” said Qin Xubao, Project Director at SEPCOIII. “As the first lignite-fueled ultra-supercritical power plant across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey region, the project will help to set new industry benchmarks in Pakistan.”
GE has been supporting the development of energy, transportation and healthcare infrastructure in Pakistan for more than 50 years. Today, GE-built technologies can generate the equivalent power needed to supply up to 25 percent of the country’s electricity.
