Islamabad intends to buy more electricity from Iran: Pakistani envoy

Pakistan Ambassador to Tehran Asif Durrani announced on Sunday that a delegation from Islamabad is to visit Iran to consider more co-operation in electricity and proposed buying more electricity from Iran. In a meeting with Managing Director of Iran Power and Water Industries Equipment and Services Export Company (Sunir) Bahman Salehi, Durrani said Gwadar region in Pakistan needs more electricity. Durrani said in case of Sunir desire for direct investment, there are potentials to cede projects in the sector of energy without international tender to the company.
Visit of President Hassan Rouhani to Pakistan in last April reached an agreement with the Pakistani President to increase electricity export to 3000 megawatts, Salehi said. He said that Sunir has capability to increase electricity export capacities to 5000 megawatts.
Salehi underlined that co-operation agreement to execute project to transfer electricity into Gwadar region, Pakistan, was signed before imposing west sanctions against Iran, but it has not yet been implemented. Deputy Head of Tehran Chamber Energy Commission Hamid-Reza Salehi said Sunir has permission from Iran Power Generation and Transmission Company (Tavanir) to transfer 400 megawatts electricity to Pakistan and is ready to build the transmission line. Pakistan has also authorised two banks to build connection with Sunir, but there is no indication for implementation of the project, Salehi added.