A thermal power station uses steam to drive a turbine which spins an electrical generator. Water is heated into steam to power the turbine, and the steam is then condensed and recycled in a closed loop system. Thermal power stations can run on various fuels like coal, natural gas, biomass, and waste, which is where their designs vary. The document discusses repairs to the Muzaffargarh thermal power station in Pakistan funded by USAID, which will increase its energy production by 400MW, providing power for over 500,000 homes. It is part of USAID efforts to improve Pakistan's energy supply through repairing various power infrastructure.

2. A thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime mover is steam driven. Water is heated, turns into steam and
spins a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator. After it passes through the turbine, the steam is condensed in a
condenser and recycled to where it was heated; this is known as a Rankine cycle. The greatest variation in the design of
thermal power stations is due to the different fuel sources.

3. Thermal
Power
Plants
Almost all coal, nuclear,
geothermal, solar thermal
electric, and waste incineration
plants, as well as many natural
gas power plants are thermal.
Natural gas is frequently
combusted in gas turbines as
well as boilers. The waste heat
from a gas turbine can be used
to raise steam, in a combined
cycle plant that improves overall
efficiency. Power plants burning
coal, fuel oil, or natural gas are
often called fossil-fuel power
plants. Some biomass-fueled
thermal power plants have
appeared also. Non-nuclear
thermal power plants, particularly
fossil-fueled plants, which do not
use co-generation are
sometimes referred to as
conventional power plants.

4. Structure of a
Power plant.
Commercial electric utility power stations are usually constructed on a large scale and
designed for continuous operation. Electric power plants typically use three-phase electrical
generators to produce alternating current (AC) electric power at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz.

5. Advantages And Disadvantages of
Thermal Power

6. Distribution Of Power Production
in mW
1980s
1990s
2000s
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
1980s
1990s
2000s

7. Process of Production

8. Location Of Thermal Power Plants

9. • ISLAMABAD - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Director, Andrew Sisson has said
that the project repairing the thermal power station in Muzaffargarh would increase energy production by 400
MW, providing enough energy for more than 500,000 homes in Southern Punjab.
In a visit to the station today he reviewed the progress on the project, which was originally announced by the U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as part of a broader USAID program to help Pakistan improve its energy supply.
“Muzaffargarh is part of Pakistan’s vital infrastructure that will once again generate energy for your industries, for
your businesses, and for your homes.
I am happy to hear that the plant has already regained some of its power generation capacity,” said USAID Director
for Pakistan Andrew Sisson during the visit. At Muzaffargharh alone, USAID-funded repairs will restore at least 400
MW of capacity that the plant had lost due to deferred maintenance and reduced fuel efficiency. The additional
power would provide electricity for more than 500,000 households. The renovation of the first two power
generation units has already been completed, and the remaining four will be finished by the end of the year. The
repair project has already benefited local residents, many of whom have gotten jobs through the USAID-funded
repairs activities.
The people of the Multan region are proud of the plant and the role it will play in building the economy of
Pakistan. “I’m glad that we are able to get positive results at such a critical time,” said Mr. Sisson. In addition to
Muzaffargarh, USAID is helping to repair the thermal plants in Jamshoro, as well the Tarbela hydro-plant. USAID is
also funding the completion of the Gomal Zam and Satpara dam, as well as the replacement of 11,000 tubewells
with more energy-efficient models. Together, these projects will add an estimated 700 MW power to the national
grid, which will address nearly 15 per cent of Pakistan’s current energy shortage, by the end of 2012.
• http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/08/us-aid-boosts-power-plant-capacity/

10. Environmental audit of Guddu thermal power station sought
DAWN
• KARACHI, March 23 The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has asked the Pakistan Electric Power Company
(Pepco) to conduct an environmental audit of its thermal power station existing at Guddu (Sindh) through some
independent environmental monitors.
• The public hearing was held to discuss the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report submitted by Pepco about the
installation of a 747-megawatt combined cycle power plant at the Guddu thermal power station, which is situated at the
right bank of the River Indus near Guddu Barrage.
• Pepco has planned to install an additional 747-MW combined cycle power plant comprising two gas turbines of 243 MW
each, two heat recovery steam generators followed by one steam turbine having a capacity of 261 MW and associated
equipment.
• The proponents told the public hearing that the plant would use natural gas as its primary fuel source while high-speed
diesel will be used as the back-up fuel. The gas turbines for the proposed project have been improved in design and have
efficiency with combined cycle up to 56 per cent.
• The project director of the plant, Qazi Akhtar, said that the steam power plant units 1 and 2 at the Guddu power plant were
commissioned in 1974 and had completed their useful life, while third and fourth machines set up in the first half of the
1980s were also close to outliving their utility and that was why a decision had been taken to have the new combined cycle
plant. The proposed plant is meant to overcome the gap of 450 MW caused in the wake of the removal of the four old
machines.
• He said that there would be no issue of resettlement of people likely to be affected due to the proposed project as there
were only 50-60 illegal occupants in the new project area and these too had voluntarily started vacating the place.
• Earlier, the participants of the hearing had criticised the consultants of the project for giving incomplete information on
various sensitive issues, including the resettlement issues.
• They also said that the baseline study of natural environment and socioeconomic environment was based on one-time
acquired and old data, which was not valid for understanding the potential project impact and framing of mitigation
measures.
• Environmentalists also raised the issue of disposal of operation related wastewater and management of hazardous material
and gaseous emissions and suggested a proper environmental set-up at the Guddu thermal power plant. They also called for
modification of the EIA report
• http://archives.dawn.com/archives/105339