Economic & Green Energy
The Technology and the Environment Impact
The boiler units being used for this project are State of the Art Super Critical Technology based, with main steam temperature of 571.4 °C, and main steam pressure of 25.63MPa. This super critical technology is the widely used in most of the developing countries to improve the coal efficiency, to lower the cost of fuel and to cut down the emissions. The seawater desulfurization process will also be used in this project which makes the desulfurization efficiency more than 93.5%. In addition to that, Electro Static Precipitators (ESPs) are installed to control particulate matter emissions in this project. Low NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) burners for burning of pulverized coal are specially designed to reduce NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) emission in comparison with other burners.
CPHGC Project is employing all these technologies and will spend around 10% of project cost on these pollution control technologies. According to the Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) approved by BEPA, the project will follow all NEQS (National Environment Quality Standards) and IFC (International Finance Corporation) standards.
Comparing to the similar CPEC coal-fired project with the same capacity which is under construction, CPHGC project also is under the environmental leading level.
Social and Economic Benefit
CPHGC Project is the largest and the single power project being constructed in Balochistan province under CPEC. It will bring immense socio-economic benefits for the country, specifically for the Balochistan.
Every year, the project will provide 9 Billion kWh electricity to the National Grid, which will support 4 Million Pakistani household in power consumption. According to the Upfront Tariff, CPHGC’s power project would produce energy at an estimated cost of around 8 cents per Kwh which is cheaper than the current cost of energy production in Pakistan. This will save hundreds of Millions of dollars for the country every year and industries and public would also benefit by the lower energy bills.
China Power Hub Generation Company’s plant will be using super critical technology to ensure production of clean and environment friendly electricity. CPHGC Project will install state of the art environmental protection equipment to ensure compliance with National Environment Quality Standards and World Bank Environmental Standards for coal power plants.
Super-critical Technology Details
The boiler used on plant will use supercritical pressure, pulverized coal fired, single reheat, once through forced circulation, will lower NOx and tangent circle combustion boiler. Annually equivalent full load operation hours will be 7500 hours. Boiler efficiency will not be less than 93.65%.
The steam turbine used will be single reheat, four casing, and four exhaust, it will be using double back pressure condenser and will be water cooling steam turbine. The heat rate will be 7478 kJ/kWh. Potential source static excitation system is used for the generator. The 500kV switchgear will be GIS type. The 500kV switch yard is one and a half circuit breakers connection type.
The electrostatic precipitators (ESP) has been adopted to reduce the emission concentration of PM, the collection efficiency of ESP will not be less than 99.75% ; The boiler with low NOx technology will be to restrict the NOx emission level whereas Seawater fuel gas desulfurization (SW-FGD) device is provided to reduce the SO2 , desulphurization efficiency of FGD will not be less than 92%.
Seawater fuel gas desulfurization process does not produce any solid waste, and the process will be free of any waste residue secondary pollution emissions.
This technology and process can save area for yard field and minimize the harmful effects to the environment from FGD device.
Exhibit 1: Comparison for Fuel Gas Emissions between CPHGC’s Plant and NEQS
China Power Hub Generation Company (Pvt.) Limited Project will install state of the art environmental protection equipment to ensure compliance with National Environmental Quality Standards and World Bank Environmental Standards for coal power plants.
Upcoming power plants will result in an increase in CO2 emissions for Pakistan, however the overall emissions level on absolute and per capita basis will still be far less than many countries. Moreover, Environmental impact of coal can be controlled technologically.
Note: Pakistan’s projected CO2 emissions based solely on impact of upcoming power plants by Year 2022.