ISLAMABAD: In the early hours of August 3, a gas turbine at the 1,263 MW RLNG-based power plant near Trimmu Barrage, Jhang, caught fire, causing significant damage. The power plant, which boasts an efficiency of 61.16 percent, was a key project initiated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his tenure as Punjab Chief Minister. The project, fully owned by the Punjab government, was completed at a cost of $707.7 million, financed through a mix of 25 percent equity and 75 percent loans from major banks.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari confirmed the incident, noting that a thorough investigation is underway. She assured that the financial loss would be covered by insurance, as the entire project is fully insured.
Dr. Naeem Rauf, Secretary Energy Punjab, stated that experts from the turbine installation company and an insurance firm from Singapore are currently on-site to determine the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage. He added that the insurance would also cover any opportunity loss incurred by the plant.
Despite the incident, Salman Zakria, CEO of Punjab Thermal Power Private Limited (PTPL), reported that two of the plant’s turbines are still operational and currently generating 300 MW of electricity. The extent of power generation will continue to depend on demand from the Central Power Purchase Agency (CPPA).
Story by Khalid Mustafa
