France-based GDF SUEZ has inaugurated the Uch II combined cycle power plant in Pakistan following its successful achievement of commercial operation in April 2014.
Operated by Uch-II Power, a special purpose vehicle owned by GDF SUEZ, the 375MW gas-fired power plant is located in Pakistan’s south-western province of Balochistan. The project has two GE9E gas turbines and one steam turbine.
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Uch-II is an extension to the existing 551MW Uch combined cycle power project. GDF SUEZ has majority ownership in both Uch and Uch II power plants.
Hyundai Engineering Company and Descon Engineering have provided engineering, procurement and construction services for the UCH-II project, while funding was given by the International Finance Corporation, Asian Development Bank, Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Islamic Development Bank.
Uch II has a 25-year power purchase agreement with the state-owned entity National Transmission and Despatch Company. The tariff has been approved by the Pakistan’s power sector regulator National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.
The power project receives gas from the existing gas field under a fuel supply agreement with the Oil and Gas Development Company of Pakistan.
By using domestic gas, the power project decreases reliance on imported oil and diesel fuel for power generation, thereby relieving pressure on precarious foreign exchange reserves.
The Uch power plant has three gas turbines and one steam turbine and power generated by the project is being supplied to Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan under a 30-year power purchase agreement.
Together, the Uch and Uch II projects will generate 926MW of electricity using indigenous gas as primary fuel.
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