RLNG power plant at Trimmu hits snags
 

ISLAMABAD: The newly established RLNG power plant at Trimmu, Punjab, with capacity to generate over 1200 MW has hit snags on account of its failure in financial closure and non-availability of RLNG as the Power Division has not included the requirement of the said plant in calculating the power sector demand of the imported gas. For the coming summer season, the RLNG demand has been worked out for power sector at 800-850 mmcfd.The cost of the new completed project stands at Rs140 billion out of which Punjab government wants some loan from banks to complete the financial closure, but the banks want the Punjab government to first sign with Sui Northern on Gas Supply Agreement and Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Power Division and Reimbursement Agreement with CPPA.The Punjab government took up the issue with federal government and to this effect Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday convened a special meeting. Finance Minister Asad Umar, Punjab government officials, secretary Power Division, Secretary Petroleum Division and top officials of Sui Northern attended the meeting. The Punjab government is also unable to arrange Rs80 billion for the project from the banks which have asked the Punjab government to first sign gas supply agreement (GSA) with Sui Northern and Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Power Division, a senior official of Power Division who attended the crucial meeting told The News.The Power Division will now place the summary in the ECC meeting to be held today (Tuesday) for power purchase agreement (PPA) with RLNG-based Trimmu Power plant In the meeting, he said, Sui Northern refused to accept the guarantee of Punjab government for payment against the gas supply saying that the federal government’s guarantee matters while giving the payment to PSO which is supposed to pay back the amount to RLNG supplier in 10 days.“On this particular issue, the decision has not yet finalized,” said the official. The Trimmu RLNG power plant which was installed by Punjabgovernment during PML-N government is now set for testing and after some time, its CoD will be completed. The efficiency of the project is also close to above 61 percent.Prime Minister asked the Power Division to withdraw the RLNG supply from inefficient plant and give it to Trimmu or either increase the power sector’s demand by including the requirement of Trimmu Power Plant. At present there are three functional RLNG power plants in Punjab out of which two plants – at Haveli Bahadur Shah and Balloki and at Bhikki – are installed. Trimmu power plant is also recently completed by government of Punjab which is now set for testing.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/6vAFXrFyD-E

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