Wärtsilä has been awarded an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract worth EUR 134 million by Nishat Power Ltd., an independent power producer that will supply electricity to the national grid in Pakistan. The combined cycle plant will have a total gross electrical power output of 200 MWe.
The power plant is due to be operational by September 2009, and will be located near Lahore, the second most populous city in Pakistan. The order is included in Wärtsilä’s order book in April.
“This power plant to Nishat Group will further strengthen Wärtsilä’s position as the market leader in the supply of private power plants in Pakistan. A total of 1 GWe of Wärtsilä power plants are already in service”, says Mr Christoph Vitzthum, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Power Plants.
“Our satisfactory experience with Wärtsilä products and services encouraged us to set up this project with them. Their power plants are fuel efficient, reliable and their after sales support very responsive,” says Mr Mian Mansha, Chairman of the Nishat Group.
An important feature of the plant is its high overall efficiency of 45% for the lifetime of the plant when running on heavy fuel oil at site conditions. The high overall efficiency on low-cost fuel oil will enable the generating costs to be very competitive.
The plant will comprise eleven Wärtsilä 18V46 diesel generating sets with exhaust recovery boilers supplying steam to a single steam turbine. Wärtsilä will supply the plant equipment, then erect, test and commission the plant and provide local construction supervision. An O&M contract to operate and maintain the power plant is also under negotiation.
Nishat Power Ltd., a member of the Nishat Group, has signed a Power Purchase Agreement with the National Transmission & Despatch Company and an Implementation Agreement with the Government of Pakistan under the 2002 Energy Policy of Pakistan.
The excellent past experience of the Nishat Group with Wärtsilä power plants is an important factor in the choice of Wärtsilä for the new combined-cycle power plant. The Group purchased its first Wärtsilä 18V34SG gas engine generating set for a textile mill in 2003, followed by four more similar generation sets in 2004. Three Wärtsilä 20V34SG sets were bought in 2005 for a cement plant and subsequently two Wärtsilä 18V50DF dual-fuel generating sets were ordered in 2005 and 2006 for a new cement plant. Wärtsilä is operating the latter plant under an operations and maintenance (O&M) agreement for six years.
The Nishat Group is one of the leading business groups in Pakistan with interests in the textile, cement, insurance and banking sectors.
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of more than 16,000 professionals manning 150 Wärtsilä locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on The Nordic Exchange in Helsinki, Finland.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Nauman Ahmad
Regional Sales Director, Middle East
Wärtsilä Power Plants
Tel: +358-408616469
E-mail: nomi.ahmad@wartsila.com
Maria Nystrand
Public Relations Manager, Power Plants
Wärtsilä Corporation
Tel: +358 10 709 1456
E-mail: maria.nystrand@wartsila.com
