*ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is all set to launch the three LNG powered powerplants *
*Three gas-fired power plants commissioned last year are set for finalpre-operations checks in the December-January period, an official fromPakistan LNG said on Monday.*
“The problems have been resolved, we have been told, and all three havereached COD (commercial operations date),” the official said, requestinganonymity.
The units will undergo final checks before securing clearance to begincommercial operations “between December and January”, the official said,speaking on the sidelines of an energy conference in Nagoya, Japan.
The Pakistan power stations, built by Chinese contractors and with turbinessupplied by General Electric Co (GE) of the United States, are due to add3,600 megawatts (MW) of power generation capacity.
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Pakistan made a big bet on the promised efficiency of GE’s flagship 9HA gasturbines to help solve crippling power outages, pushing to finish three newplants in a shorter than usual time frame. However, their full start-up hasbeen riddled with technical problems.
The delays at the three new plants – Haveli, Bhikki and Balloki – haveforced Pakistan LNG to divert contracted liquefied natural gas (LNG)shipments.
