ISLAMABAD: The government is working on several projects to ease power crisis in the country and the initiative to import 1000-MW will go a long a way in achieving the objective.
Pakistan has already signed a resolution to import 1000-MW electricity from Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan to overcome power shortage in summer season.
Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif recently signed agreements with the World Bank to facilitate transfer of surplus electricity from Central to South Asia.
According to official source, the proposed project has been abbreviated as CASA-1000 and its transmission facilities would maximize the use of 1,300MW renewable summer electricity surplus from existing plants in Central Asia-Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and provide electricity to consumers in South Asian countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan both generate surplus of electricity from hydropower during the summer while these countries suffer electricity shortages during their cold winters. Thus part of the summer electricity cannot be stored and this surplus cannot be used during their cold winters and the toll on their citizens is enormous.
Thus, import of electricity would only be from surplus summer generation of the two countries which is otherwise wasted and would not impact winter generation or make shortage worse.
The project includes-500 kv line Datka-Khudjand(477km) with Tajik network transferring Kyrgyz exports to Sangtuda, 1300 MW AC-DC convertor station at Sangtuda, 750 km HVDC line Sangtuda-Kabul-Peshawar,300 MW Convertor station at Kabul with import and export capability and then 1300 MW DC-AC convertor station would be set up at Peshawar.
The source added work on the project would start in 2014 and complete in 2-3 years to add 1300 MW to the national grid and provide cheaper electricity to the country's consumers at summer season.
The source observed the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Gulf Coordination Group would support the CASA-1000.
The country will be reaping fruit in the form of 1227 km transmission line extending from Kyrgyz Republic to Tajikistan, passing through Afghanistan and finally reaching Pakistan.
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