Wärtsilä Corporation was awarded a contract in April 2007 by Lucky Cement Ltd in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province to convert six diesel generating sets of 32 MWe output to burn natural gas. Lucky Cement Limited is the largest cement producer in Pakistan with a capacity of 21,000 tons per day.
Lucky Cement Ltd has a power plant at their cement works which is equipped with ten Wärtsilä generating sets having a combined output of some 72 MWe. There are three sets powered by Wärtsilä 12V46 engines each having operated for about 10,000 hours and seven with Wärtsilä 18V32 engines, each with about 50,000 running hours. At present these are burning heavy fuel oil.
Wärtsilä will convert six of the Wärtsilä 18V32 engines to operate as dual-fuel (DF) engines burning mainly natural gas. They will each generate 5390 kWe when running on natural gas with pilot injection of light fuel oil. They will also have the ability to switch to running on light fuel oil alone should there be a break in natural gas supplies or whenever otherwise required.
Lucky Cement has chosen dual-fuel conversion to reduce operating costs as natural gas is cheaper than fuel oil at the site. The conversions will also make the plant more environmentally friendly with cleaner exhaust gases. Dual-fuel conversion will also give greater flexibility in the choice of fuels used.
The first converted generating set will return to operation in November 2007, and the plant will be handed over after the conversions are completed by the beginning of the third quarter 2008.
The power plant is already covered by a maintenance agreement whereby Wärtsilä is responsible for carrying out the routine maintenance of all engines. Wärtsilä has had a maintenance agreement for the original seven Wärtsilä 18V32 engines since the power plant was commissioned in 1996. The three Wärtsilä 12V46 engines installed in 2005 and are also covered under a maintenance agreement.
Wärtsilä in brief:
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of more than 14,000 professionals manning 130 Wärtsilä locations in close to 70 countries around the world.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Nystrand
Public Relations Manager, Power Plants
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1456
Direct fax: +358 10 709 1425
e-mail: maria.nystrand@wartsila.com
Internet: www.wartsila.com
