Leghari reviews progress on power project for Gwadar
Minister for Power reviewed a proposed 40 MW project to meet Gwadar's growing electricity demands, aiming to reduce reliance on imported power and support the city's strategic development.
- Gwadar's strategic importance and CPEC development.
- Current reliance on imported power from Iran.
- Project's flexible technology and competitive bidding.
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, has reviewed progress on a proposed 40 MW power project for Gwadar aimed at meeting the growing electricity requirements of the strategically important port city.
According to official details, the project envisages development of a power generation facility with a firm and dependable capacity of approximately 40 MW at Gwadar, Balochistan, for a period of 15 years. The scope includes financing, installation, testing, commissioning, ownership, operation, and maintenance of the plant under a competitive framework.
The project allows flexibility in technology selection, enabling bidders to propose any suitable and proven generation solution, including thermal, hybrid, or renewable-plus-thermal configurations, provided these meet prescribed technical, environmental, performance and Grid Code requirements. Both brand-new and refurbished units may be used, subject to compliance with standards to be outlined in the Request for Proposals (RFP).
READ MORE: ISMO approves Gwadar power reliability plan
The successful bidder will supply electricity to Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) at tariffs determined through competitive bidding and approved by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).
The officials said the RFP will be issued only to pre-qualified applicants, ensuring open competition among technically and financially capable bidders.
Gwadar holds critical strategic importance for Pakistan’s long-term economic vision, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The city is being developed as a major maritime, logistics, and industrial hub, with ongoing expansion of port infrastructure, industrial zones, and urban development projects expected to significantly increase electricity demand in the coming years.
However, Gwadar currently relies heavily on imported electricity from Iran, supplied through cross-border interconnections at Pishin and Polan, each with a capacity of 100 MW. While the Polan interconnection primarily feeds Gwadar due to its proximity, the Pishin link serves other parts of the Makran region.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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