ISLAMABAD - Central Power Generation Company Ltd. (CPGCL) has sought a tariff adjustment for its 747MW Guddu Power Plant, proposing a Rs9.3034 per unit capacity charge on a take-and-pay basis.
CPGCL has filed the petition to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) seeking capacity charges reflecting a 50 percent availability factor for open cycle operations since July 10, 2022. The company seeks to adjust the generation tariff, citing several factors such as capacity changes and operational efficiencies. The requested modifications include a capacity charge on a take-and-pay basis at Rs. 9.3034/kWh, considering a 50 percent availability factor for open cycle operations since July 10, 2022. This charge adjustment reflects the reduced capacity availability from 747MW to 483MW due to the unavailability of the ST-16 turbine.
The company has also proposed a 15 percent internal rate of return (IRR), consistent with the 2017 tariff, contingent on approval from the Power Division. Additional adjustments include heat rate corrections for partial loading, degradation, and startup costs for both steam and gas turbines, as per the latest data from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of GT-14 and GT-15.
NEPRA has outlined several key issues for consideration during the hearing, including the justification of the requested capacity charges, the 15 percent IRR, and the appropriateness of heat rate and startup cost adjustments. The regulatory body will also assess the indefinite operation of the plant in open cycle mode and the suboptimal burning of gas since July 2022. The company prayed that this tariff should be applicable whenever the System Operator requires CPGCL to operate the plant in open-cycle mode. Furthermore, the capacity purchase price in such circumstances should be paid for the full available capacity of the plant irrespective of the fact that system operators despatch instruction being for partial or full load of the plant. NEPRA announced a public hearing scheduled for September 19 to discuss tariff modifications.
