STELCO commissions backup power plant in Male region
Shareef added that work has been initiated to install an additional 100 MW power plant in Hulhumale this year.
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By
Ahmed Mizyal
STELCO has completed the construction of an backup power plant in Male region.
The backup power plant has been set up at the old power plant in Hulhumale. The power plant has a capacity of 20.2 MW.
Speaking at a function held to mark the completion of the power plant, STELCO Managing Director Ahmed Shareef said that the main purpose of setting up the power plant was to maintain the capacity needed for Hulhumale's growing population.
"Our existing capacity will only be enough till 2024," Shareef said.
He added that work has been initiated to install an additional 100 MW power plant in Hulhumale this year.
Pointing out that power consumption is increasing during the dry season, Shareef said this April was the month when the country recorded its highest temperature. Sharing a few statistics from STELCO's power generation, he said:
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Now, the power generation is up to 90 MW every day except for the average rainy days
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Two days in April when temperatures peaked, power generation reached full capacity without emergency gensets
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In the last week of last month too, the power generation reached 94 MW
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Increase to 90 MW during peak hours on other days and lower than that during other hours
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Even during the lowest power generating hours during this period, it is not less than 85-87 MW
Shareef highlighted that the company needs more space to upgrade its capacity to meet the requirements of the region due to population growth and increasing consumption of electricity in the dry season.
Shareef noted that with the newly completed backup power plant, capacity will increase and power security in the region can be further ensured with full assurance that there will be no power cuts due to lack of capacity or overload.
"This is the first time in the company's history that so many engines have been commissioned and completed in such a short span of time," STELCO said in a statement.
