Sukkur Barrage: Chinese company to install 120 megawatts power plant

Chinese Company Three Gorges Project Corporation (CTGPC) will construct a power plant of 120MW at Sukkur Barrage besides investment in Thar Coal and wind and solar energy projects. Sindh government and CTGPC formally signed a letter of Intent (LoI) in this regard here on Thursday.
Provincial Water and Power Minister Shahzia Marri and Chairman CTGPC Cao Guanging signed LoI on behalf of Sindh government and CTGPC respectively. Talking to media persons after signing ceremony, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that CTGPC is the largest company of China and Three Gorges Barrage is also largest in the world which generate 16,000MW electricity. The total installed capacity of the Barrage is around 26,000MW, he added.
The Chief Minister said that they examined the Three Gorges Barrage during President Asif Ali Zardari is visit to China last year. He said that a power plant having capacity of 120-150MW could be installed at Sukkur Barrage. Qaim Ali Shah said that the country has coal reserves of 185 billion tons adding that the government would also utilise these reserves for generating thousands mega watt electricity.
He said CTGPC has also offered financial and technical assistance to develop hydro and wind power and upgrade the existing transmission system and provide integrated solution to the perennial problems of power shortages and disruptions in Pakistan. China Three Gorges Project Corporation also offered to develop multi-purpose hydro electric projects through direct financing model based on public private partnership and BOT. Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that power plant could be installed at Sukkur Barrage if 100,000 cusecs water is discharging. He said that the lower Sindh would face water shortage in absence of huge water reserve at the Barrage.
Water is also being supplied to Balochistan from the Sukkur Barrage, he added. He expressed the hope that the project would help bridge gap between demand and supply of electricity. Chairman CTGPC Cao Guanging said that China is keen to invest in energy sector of Pakistan and the project would be a step forward in this regard.
The Chairman said that they have focussed on coal, hydel, wind and solar energy and Chinese experts are examine these sectors. Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar and other officials were also present on the occasion.