Bin Qasim Power Station 3 (BQPS-III) is a 900MW combined-cycle power plant being developed in Karachi, Pakistan. It will be dual-fired with regasified liquid natural gas (RLNG) as the primary fuel.
Pakistan’s power utility K-Electric invested $650m for the power plant development. Designed for a life of 30 years, it will address the supply-demand gap, which was created by the decommissioning of two BQPS-I existing heavy furnace oil (HFO) units.
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It will also reduce the energy generation cost and improve efficiency. The construction is expected to commence in late 2019 and will be completed by 2021.
BQPS-III location
BQPS-III will be located in Malir district of Port Qasim, Karachi, Pakistan. The site is adjacent to the Bin Qasim Power Station I (BQPS-I) in the Bin Qasim Power Complex.
The power project will include associated grid expansion and installation of mechanical structures within the BQPS-I site and the Korangi Power Complex. Mechanical structures will also be installed at the substations in Landhi Grid Station, Korangi West and Qayyumabad.
Bin Qasim Power Station 3 details
The Bin Qasim Power Station 3 will include two SGT5-4000F gas turbines installed in two 450MW combined-cycle power generation units seven and eight. The new units will be situated within the premises of BQPS-I to replace the existing natural gas and HFO-based power generation units three and four.
Unit seven will initially operate in open-cycle and, later, in combined-cycle, following decommissioning of BQPS-I unit four. Unit three will be decommissioned to install unit eight, which will also be a combined-cycle unit.
The gas turbine house will feature a ventilation system that will also act as emergency ventilation. Other components of the project include heat recovery steam generators, gas-insulated switchgear, gas compressor station, steam turbine, bypass stacks, transformers cooling water system and a centralised control room.
SGT5-4000F gas turbine details
The SGT5-4000F gas turbine is a heavy-duty gas turbine with a 329MW power output and 50Hz frequency. It weighs 318,000kg and has a heat rate of 8,780kJ/kWh.
The turbine offers low power generation cost and has a service-friendly design, providing improved performance. It also has a dual-fuel capability and its fuel system can switch between fuel gas and fuel oil and vice-versa.
The SGT5-4000F features an advanced annular combustion system and hydraulic clearance optimisation (HCO) active clearance control. It operates at a speed of 3,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) and includes a 15-stage axial-flow compressor.
Contractors involved
Harbin Electric won the construction contract for the project, while Siemens was contracted to supply gas turbines, steam turbines, generators and condensers.
Global Environmental Management Services is the project consultant.
Bin Qasim Power Station details
Located within the same site, the BQPS-I and the Bin Qasim Power Station II (BQPS-II) are a part of the Bin Qasim Power Station. BQPS-I is a 1,260MW power plant that was opened in 1983, while the 560MW BQPS-II started operations in 2012.
BQPS-I consists of six steam turbine generator units of 210MW each, powered by HFO and natural gas. The plant currently has the highest output of 1,150MW. It will be converted into a coal-fired facility by changing the boilers of units four and five.
The BQPS-II contains three gas turbine units and one steam turbine unit. It is also equipped with 9E, which lowers the overall cost per kilowatt. It is Pakistan’s first and only ISO 50001-certified power plant and the first to be declared a WWF-Green Office for its environmental management system.
