Wärtsilä to operate, maintain 400 MWe Pakistan plants

Wärtsilä has been awarded operations and maintenance agreements by the Nishat Group of Companies for two power plants in Pakistan.

The 5-year agreements call for Wärtsilä to operate, maintain, and supply all labour and spare parts for the Nishat Power Limited and Nishat Chunian Power Limited plants. NPL and NCPL are Independent Power Producers supplying electricity to Pakistan's national grid.

Each of these two plants will utilize eleven Wärtsilä 18V46 engines and a steam turbine to produce a total electrical output of 200 MWe. Both the NPL & NCPL power plants are located near the city of Lahore, and are scheduled to become operational in the 3rd quarter of 2009 and 1st quarter of 2010, respectively.

"Wärtsilä and the Nishat Group have worked together as one team throughout the development of both these projects, which are now undergoing installation and commissioning," said Mr. Mian Mohammad Mansha, Chairman of the Nishat Group.

Wärtsilä already has a strong presence in Pakistan, with nearly 1800 MW of Wärtsilä power plants either in operation or under construction. The Nishat O&M orders mean that more than half of this output will be operated and maintained by Wärtsilä's own personnel under O&M agreements.

"We have supplied the power plants for several businesses belonging to the Nishat Group, including these two plants. Wärtsilä has an O&M agreement for the 33 MW captive power plant at DG Cement, which is also a part of the Nishat Group," said Christoph Vitzthum, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Services.