Project 2×660MW Coal-fired Power Plants at Port Qasim Karachi

Primary Energy Input Coal (Imported)

Technology Super Critical

Installed Capacity (MW) 1320

Location Port Qasim

Province Sindh

Estimated Cost (US $ Million) 1,980

Executing Company / Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited

Sponsors

Financing Independent Power Producer (IPP)

Coordinating Ministry Ministry of Water and Power

Supervising Agency Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB)

Project Progress Update  Financial Closed (FC) achieved

 Civil works on site started in May 2015
 Jetty completed
 Plant 2 months ahead of schedule
 Energization in October 2017
 Ist Unit Inagurated in November 2017
 Second Unit Commercial Operation Date (COD) 25th
April 2018
 Project completed 67 days ahead of schedule
Port Qasim power plant is a 1,320MW (2x 660MW) supercritical coal-fired plant being
developed approximately 37km south-east of Karachi, Pakistan, at an estimated cost
of $2.085bn. It is one of the priority energy projects being undertaken in the China
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The ground-breaking ceremony for the project took place in May 2014 and major construction
works commenced in May 2015.

The first unit of the project commenced power generation in November 2017, while the second
unit was connected to the grid in January 2018 and is scheduled to be commissioned in June
2018.

Port Qasim Electric Power Company (PQEPCL) is the developer of the plant, which is expected
to generate an average annual output of 9,504GWh.

The project is estimated to create more than 2,000 jobs and generate sufficient power to serve
between three and four million families a year.

Port Qasim coal-fired power plant make-up

The Port Qasim coal-fired power plant consists of two 660MW supercritical units, which each
include a boiler, steam turbine and generator. The single reheat, once-through boiler features
a regenerative tri-sector rotary type air pre-heater.

The steam turbine is a supercritical, reheat-type turbine capable of operating at a speed of

3,000rpm. The generator operates at a voltage of 22kV and speed of 3,000rpm.
The 285t main transformer is a single-phase oil-immersed and double-winding transformer
with forced-directed oil and forced-air cooling system.

The main powerhouse is 167.50m-long and comprises 17 column spacing’s, as well as an

expansion joint. It consists of a turbine house, deaerator bay, bunker bay, boilers, and central
control building.

Light fuel is used for the unit start-up, which can be unloaded in Port Qasim and then
forwarded to the power plant by road. The start-up and standby power supply of the units are
connected by a 500kV bus in the power plant.

Seawater is the source of make-up water for the power plant.

Power generation at Port Qasim plant

The boiler is fuelled by sub-bituminous coal, which is imported by cargo ships from countries
such as Indonesia, South Africa, Botswana, and Australia. The coal is unloaded at a dock to be
constructed at the plant site.

The supercritical boiler converts the heat energy generated by burning the coal to high-
pressure steam, which is discharged to the turbine. The steam drives a steam turbine to
generate electrical energy, while the exhaust steam is discharged to the condenser.

Extraction steam from various sections of the turbine is routed to the various heaters. The
generator, which is directly coupled to the turbine shaft, converts the mechanical energy
from the turbine to electrical energy.

Coal handling system

The coal-fired power plant also includes a jetty and channel, which began construction
in August 2015.

Coal unloaded at the jetty will be sent to the coal yard in the plant by a belt conveyor.
A bucket-wheel stacker-reclaimer will be used at the coal yard for coal settling. The
coal will then be screened and crushed before being fed into the boiler coal bunker.

Power transmission from Port Qasim

A 180km-long, 500kV AC transmission line transmits the power generated at the Port
Qasim power plant to the Matiari 500kV substation, which further feeds the power to
the national grid.

Two-circuit 500kV lines are used for the interconnection.

Ownership and financing of Port Qasim power

plant
Sinohydro Resources (SHR), a subsidiary of Power China, holds 51% stake in the
project, while Al Mirqab Group (AMG), a subsidiary of Qatar-based Qlnvest, holds the
remaining 49% stake.

The coal power project achieved financial closure in December 2015, with the Export-
Import Bank of China (China EXIM Bank) providing a debt facility.