Instead, we have huge gas-based expensive thermal power plants WITH NO CHECK ON EFFICIENCY. Even theoretical “efficient” combined cycle power plants are operated inefficiently for most of the time, and the authorities accept inefficient operation with no concern, and thus add high fuel costs to the tariff, without any hesitation as “pass-through” costs, CERTAINLY WORST POSSIBLE POLICY!
Technologies are available to ensure that these inefficiently-operated combined cycle power plants are operated at high efficiency under different ambient conditions but they are encouraged to be inefficient so that high fuel costs actually add to overall profits of commercial power plants! We need to record and publicise the actual efficiency of our thermal power plants (average monthly heat rates) so that we know how poorly our thermal power plants are being operated!
We have not really encouraged cost-effective solar energy source which should have seen some major investment in solar thermal power plants in our sun-belt areas, at base power production costs of less than equivalent to 4 US cents per kWh unit. How is it that we are allowing new gas-based power plants to be operated inefficiently when cost, and availability, of natural gas would be subject to world-wide inflation? If we could ensure more power at overall less gas consumption per kWh unit from the present power plants, why should we allow new expensive and inefficient power plants to be installed in the country, causing both high foreign exchange loss in capital investment and continued high foreign exchange loss in imported gas consumption?
In addition to economically attractive CSP-based solar power, we need to urgently take action to ensure high-efficiency operation of our existing combined cycle power plants and set up CSP solar thermal power plants to avoid operation of inefficient and highly polluting power plants as being presently done!
(Concluded)
Engr. Ainul Abedin (Karachi)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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