The ‘Power Ship’ dedicated for Pakistan is scheduled to arrive next month in Karachi to provide electricity to Genco-IV through the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) network at the Korangi Thermal Power Station to meet power shortage in the business hub of the country.The world largest power ship called ‘Karadeniz Power Ship Kaya Bey’ owned KARKEY Karadeniz Elektrik Uretim A.S will start voyage from Turkey to Pakistan in the next few days. According to reliable sources, KARKEY has signed Rental Services Contract with Lakhra Power Generation Company (Pakistan Electric Power Company Pepco) “the Rental services for 231.8MW net based on diesel generating sets for 60 months and operation and maintenance services at 132 kV grid”.Sources told this scribe here on Wednesday that “the concept of “Power Ship” was developed to provide the most reliable, midterm power solution with optimum cost for the increased electricity demand countries. The timing of the ship voyage from Turkey is very crucial to reach the Pakistani territories to launch first of its kind of biggest power supply project through new concept of power ship,” sources maintained.The main advantages of the Power Ship solution for Pakistan included mid-term solution to avoid electricity shortage and operation is also possible in areas with poor logistic infrastructure and unaffected by landslides or earthquakes and similar natural disasters.As soon as Power Ship reaches Pakistan, it would start the supply of electricity to Pakistani people. “In this regard, all legal formalities and preparations have been finalised for immediate supply of electricity on arrival of ship to Karachi, sources said.
Following the announcement of the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) for “Solicitation for Fast Track IPP and Rental Power Projects through International Competitive Bidding”, company procured the tender documents and started the preparations to join the tender. After technical evaluation, KARKEY was notified as “Responsive Bidder”, and notified as “Qualified Bidder” and subsequently “Letter of Award” was issued.For interconnection facilities after the site was allotted by Port Qasim Authority, erection of the Tower KPS-1 was completed by KARKEY to connect Power ship to the Karachi grid and the related interconnection Protection Panels were produced and delivered to the buyer.
Sources said that the concurrent with the site preparations, KARKEY applied for and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on January 2010 from Environmental Protection Agency and received EIA No Objection Certificate (NOC) in April 2010. Company official informed that there were still few pending issues attributable to different parties in Pakistan to complete the import and interconnection of power which will be completely expeditiously. The most important area of dredging was completed on June 10, 2010 by Karachi port Trust (KPT). The major electrical tower and interconnection facilities have been constructed following 82,000 m3 of dredging at the site.Regarding the operations in Pakistan, agreements were executed between KARKEY and Orient Energy Systems (OES) to receive services including the complete package of operation and maintenance services with respect to the Plants. Also an agreement between KARKEY and “M” International Services (PVT) LTD. were executed to provide general shipping agency as required for the port authorities.
It is important to mention that the different from the IPPs and RPPs being constructed on land, the construction of the Power ship was completed in the Shipyard in a suitable manner to the preparations and readiness of the Buyer to receive power. For this reason it was not possible to observe the progress of the project, sources added – Brecorder
