LAHORE - GE (NYSE: GE) and Harbin Electric International Company Limited (HEI) have announced they have achieved a major milestone with the first fire of an advanced GE 9HA gas turbine installed at the Bhikki Power Plant.

The turbine can generate up to 385MW of reliable power that is expected to be distributed for residential and commercial use through the national grid within a few days after first fire. First fire is a critical test where the gas turbine is switched on and run on fuel at the site. It follows several months of installation and commissioning works. With Pakistan facing an estimated 5 gigawatt (GW) energy shortfall, the government is moving forward quickly with projects to help meet this power deficit. Set to be one of the most efficient power plants in the country, upon completion the 1,180 MW Bhikki facility is expected to generate the equivalent power needed to supply approximately 2.5 million Pakistani homes. It will play a critical role in meeting the government’s goals under Vision 2025 to expand access to electricity to over 90 percent of the population.

“GE has invested almost $2 billion in the development of our HA technology, and our turbine provides a powerful combination of the highest efficiency and superior operational flexibility, leading the industry in total life cycle value,” said Mohamad Ali, President & CEO of GE’s Gas Power Systems, in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and India. “We are proud to bring this technology to Pakistan, and with this important milestone – achieved in less than 17 months – we are one step closer to ensuring the everyday needs of people and industry are met,” he added.

“This is the first GE 9HA unit to be operational not only in Pakistan but also in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and South Asia region,” said Sarim Sheikh, President & CEO of GE Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. “We are especially proud to help Pakistan be the first country in the region to utilise this record-setting technology and remain committed to powering Pakistan and fueling progress by working across various fuel sources, including gas, coal, hydro, wind and others.”