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GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
MINISTRY OF WATER AND
POWER
(PRIVATE POWER AND
INFRASTRUCTURE BOARD)
PRESS RELEASE
POWER SUFFICIENCY IS PRIORITY
OF THE GOVERNMENT
Islamabad 7th January 2010:
Removing
electric power deficiency in the country is high on the government’s
priority list. The nation has witnessed additional megawatts added
to the national grid through private sector in 2009; there have been
delays in commissioning of few IPPs, but we are aggressively working
on fast track to get more mega watts into the system to eliminate
the menace of load shedding, for which all institutions in the power
sector of Pakistan including PPIB, PEPCO, WAPDA, AEDB and NEPRA are
working together with great cohesion. This was stated by
Raja Pervez Ashraf, Minister for
Water & Power while chairing 84th Board meeting of the
Private Power & Infrastructure Board (PPIB) held here today. The
meeting was attended by the Secretary Water and Power Mr. Shahid
Rafi, Secretary Planning Commission Mr. Ashraf M. Hayat, Additional
Secretary Finance Mr. M. Iqbal Awan, Additional Secretary Petroleum
and Natural Resources Mr. Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhary, Member Federal
Board of Revenue Mr. Zafar ul Majeed, Chairman WAPDA, Mr. Shakil
Durrani, Managing Director PPIB Mr. Fayyaz Elahi, Secretary Energy &
Power, NWFP, Mr. Khalid Hussain Gilani and Secretary Electricity, AJ&K,
Mr. Iqbal Mohayuddin besides other senior government officials. The
Minister conveyed his concern at the delays in commissioning of IPPs/rentals
and stated that today’s meeting has been called to determine reasons
for these delays, and to devise a way forward to expedite their
commissioning into the system immediately.
The Board of PPIB expressed pleasure over achievement of Financial
Close by the country’s first hydroelectric IPP i.e. 84 MW New Bong
Escape Hydro Electric Project. This project will open the doors for
quick implementation of a portfolio of hydroelectric projects under
process with PPIB. It was agreed that the efforts to expedite
hydropower projects in the country are required on war footing, and
hydropower projects currently being processed at PPIB need further
attention. Those projects which are inactive for a long time should
be cancelled and fresh bidding process may be conducted for those
sites, but those which are slow due to genuine reasons attributed to
the current situation in the country and the world wide economic
crunch should be facilitated.
Beside
hydropower, generation of power through coal is required for medium
to long term electricity requirements of the country. Efforts to
exploit indigenous coal are being accelerated. It was decided that
in addition to developing indigenous coal, investors should be
invited to establish imported coal projects which is a cheaper
alternative to furnace oil, and can be used to setup projects of
large capacities. ENDS. |
