Ali Zafar for use of indigenous resources to produce cheap electricity

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power Division Barrister Syed Ali Zafar has advised Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) to exploit indigenous resources and reduce dependence on imported fuels for power generation to save huge foreign exchange against fuel imports and bring affordability and sustainability in electricity supplies.

He said that affordable and reliable electricity plays an important role in socio-economic development of any country. He made these remarks while presiding over 118th board meeting of Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) held here on Monday.

The meeting reviewed the progress of the under process power projects being handled by PPIB and expressed satisfaction on the pace of work to achieve the commercial operations within given timeline.

The board advised PPIB to facilitate the investors and complete the projects within specified time frame to meet the future energy requirements in the country. Earlier Managing Director PPIB, Shah Jahan Mirza briefed the meeting on overall PPIB's portfolio and said that PPIB is focusing on addition of affordable electricity and prioritizing indigenous resources like Thar coal and hydro for power generation. In this regard, PPIB is in process to shortly advertise two to three raw-site hydro projects.

The projects will be awarded through International Competitive Bidding (ICB) on Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis under applicable power policy. The meeting was also apprised that seven Thar coal based power projects with cumulative capacity of 4950 MW are at different stages of development. Furthermore coal will also be available for new power projects from existing mine lease holders.

Thar coal holds vital importance for generating thousands of megawatts of affordable electricity for decades to come. The development of Thar coal will also play a major role in socio-economic development of the remote areas of Sindh Province and will help in achieving energy security and sustainable goals. Giving detail of power projects being processed by PPIB, he informed that current target of PPIB is to complete nine projects of 8200 MW by end of current year while 14000 MW by 2021 out of which six power projects of 6421 MW have already been commissioned and have been supplying reliable electricity to the national grid.

Managing Director briefed that so far PPIB has attracted leading international investors and 'elders in country's power sector and currently administrating 37 commissioned IPPs with a cumulative capacity of 15,469 MW worth around billion dollars, which is an accomplishment that makes PPIB stand out in the country's power sector.

He said that PPIB is also acting as Front Line Institution of Government in Implementing Flagship CPEC Program by Processing Major Chunk of Power Sector's projects under the auspices of CPEC. PPIB's Current Portfolio includes Twelve Power Projects under CPEC Regime of 10,934 and one HVDC transmission line projects, the first ever HVDC and private sector transmission line project in history of country.

Out of this CPEC portfolio, two imported coal based power projects of total 2,540 MW have already been commissioned whereas other projects are at different stages of implementation.