News

The first consignment of a 320 MW Duel Fuel power plant gifted by United Arab Emirates arrived in Pakistan. The entire plant is scheduled to reach Pakistan in three phases by the end of October 2010.The plant comprises 5 frames each of 16 MW and 8 frames each of 30 MW. The late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan had promised to donate a power plant to help efforts of the Government of Pakistan to increase power generation in the country. The power plant has been donated by the UAE Government on the request of the President of Pakistan. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on April 2, 2009 between Pakistan Electric Power Company on behalf  of Government of Pakistan and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority on behalf of UAE Government envisaging the commissioning of the 320 MW power plant in Pakistan. This MoU was signed by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Minister for Water and Power, Govt of Pakistan and His Highness Diab Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on behalf of the Govt of UAE. PEPCO has decided to install the plant to the gas turbine station Nishatabad Faisalabad where enough land and necessary infrastructure is already available. General Electric Company, the manufacturers of the power plant, have been approached to install the power plant. The plant will start generation of electricity after civil works and erection are completed, by the end of 2011. PEPCO is also planning to install another 120 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant which will be fueled by the exhaust of this 320 MW power plant. This would increase efficiency and the total generation to 440 MW. The installation of the power plant is part of the efforts of PEPCO to increase power generation in the country and would help ease power shortage.

PEPCO’s managing director urged for the completion of the Guddu Power Project within the stipulated period or earlier.

Meralco sees a reduction in its October generation charge following decreases in the generation cost of Independent Power Producers. According to the Manila Electric Company, the IPP rates dropped by US$0.0027 per kWh on the average with Quezon Power Philippines Ltd. registering the biggest reduction of US$0.0062 per kWh. Both the Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo power plants likewise decreased by US$0.0021 and US$0.0015 per kWh, respectively. The reduction in IPP rates is largely due to the higher capacity factor for all three IPPs, resulting to lower fixed cost per kWh. For the supply month of September, the capacity factor for QPPL, Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo reached 96.7 per cent, 92.29 per cent and 96 per cent, respectively. Meralco has always emphasized that if the IPP plants reach higher dispatch levels, this will result in lower power rates charged by these plants. Meralco said NPC rates are also expected to decline due to the reduction in its Fuel and Purchased Power Cost Adjustment and Foreign Exchange Adjustment rates for August 2010 as ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The generation charge, which is the electric bill’s biggest component, averages about 60 percent of the customer’s average monthly power bill.

ADB sold $232.2 million in Clean Energy Bonds to support its renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Asia-Pacific.

Suzlon Energy received a US$ 251 million order from Kolkata based Techno Electric Group, for over 202.2 MW wind power projects.

The unit 3 of Ling Ao phase II nuclear power plant entered commercial operation in China on September 20, 2010.

Alstom will supply close to US$134.6 million equipment and services for three nuclear power plants in China.

A planned test-bed project on smart grids allows energy providers to orchestrate electricity in two-way communications with appliances.

IFC may lend US$15 million to the North Delhi Power Ltd to develop 5.7 megawatts of roof-top solar projects.

CEM enhanced the energy-saving knowledge of customers from the hotel and food industries with their “Energy Conservation Experience Sharing Seminar”.

China National Nuclear Corp plans to invest $117.6 billion to expand its business over the next decade.

Five Chinese electric power companies will each invest US$14.9 million in Shanxi province.

The domestic manufacturing of Q60 serial marks shows that Cummins Power Generation  Co., Ltd. is integrating into the global supply.

ABB will provide an $18 million worth of electrical and automation system for six underground mine incline conveyors in southeastern Australia.

India will accord a $72.55 million loan to Laos for two hydro power projects.

Unit-2 of Narora Atomic Power Station has recently been synchronized to the grid.