Blacklock clarifies sale of gas turbines

By CLARISSA MOI
THE recent notice by PNG Power Ltd on the sale of the two gas turbines is because they run on diesel and are expensive to operate, says acting managing-director Carolyn Blacklock.
“They are gas turbine by design capable of running on diesel,” she said.
“They would need to be configured back to run on gas.”
Blacklock said the two gas turbines were the most expensive power generators they have.
She said the National Executive Council in July approved the transfer from National Government to PPL of the two generators on the understanding that they would be sold and the revenue credited to Government electricity invoices at PPL.
“NEC approved for the transfer of these two machines to PNG Power and to be sold and replaced with lower-cost, more-appropriate machines,” Blacklock said.
“These machines are interesting to larger users and markets than Papua New Guinea and we have had strong interest.
“Our board was very clear that they are to be sold and not to be turned into private-owned power stations providing back to PNG Power Ltd.”
Blacklock said the two General Electric (GE) TM2500 turbines were bought in 2013 and were gas turbines of 25MW each – one in Lae and one at Kanudi, in Port Moresby.
“The commissioning of NiuPower in November and upgrading of Rouna more than adequately covers the loss of the TM2500 here in Port Moresby,” she said.
“The machine in Lae is not operating and has not been operating all of this year. We have upgraded Paunda and Yonki hydropower and recommissioned diesel generators in and around the Ramu grid to cater for shortfall of the TM2500 machine in Lae.”