Background
Applies to any power project producing electric power as its main product. Power Generation projects are characterised by:
- Output dependent on demand, may be base load or swing.
- Significant equipment and material which may need to be imported
- Product sold to a closed market.
- Product cannot usually be exported and cannot usually earn any foreign exchange
- Tariffs Negotiated with escalation and indexation clauses
- Tariffs split into capacity (fixed) and fuel (variable) elements.
- Technically simple (becomes more complex with coal firing or cogeneration with steam product)
How Promoter handles Power Projects
It produces the cash flows for any power station using a hydrocarbon or related fuel, but not hydroelectric or nuclear plant (future).
Typical Project Cash Flows

The revenues for a base load power plant with a power purchase agreement (as shown above) will typically have a capital cost recovery element and an operating and maintenance element. The capital cost element may be repaid over the life of the project or over a shorter period.
The cash flows for a merchant power plant are similar to the cash flows for a downstream project.