Pak-Afghan border to Nowshera: Work on 113km-transmission lines project inaugurated

ISLAMAABD: Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan and President of Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Dr Bandar Hajjar inaugurated construction of 113-kilometre electricity transmission lines project from Pak-Afghan border to Nowshera under the South Asia Central Asia Regional Trade and Transmission project (CASA-1000) in a virtual event. The approximate cost of the project is $1.17 billion.

Federal Secretary Power Division, Ali Raza Bhutta and senior officials of Power Division, representatives of development partners, UN agencies, & other key stakeholders were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Energy, appreciated the efforts of member countries and support of all sponsoring partners for financing the construction of power transmission lines infrastructure in Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan under the CASA-1000 Project, in particular.

He added “the project will support economic integration among four participating countries, through establishing the regional electricity connection and creation of an integrated electricity market and it will also positively contribute towards energy security since the energy mix of Pakistan has been strengthened through substantial amount of cross border import & export of electricity.....CASA-1000 Project is not only a transformative development in economic and power sectors of Central Asia and South Asia, instead it is an inspiring model of how such development change can be best accomplished,” the Energy Minister elaborated.

The Minister informed the participants that Pakistan had embarked upon tapping huge indigenous potential of renewable energy. He said Pakistan’s New Renewable Energy Policy would bring opportunities for investors due to transparent policies of the current government. He said the government had set ambitious targets to introduce 25 percent renewable energy by 2025, and 30 percent by end of 2030 including 40 percent share of hydel power generation into energy mix of the country.

Addressing the online event, the IDB President said the CASA-1000 project would bolster economic benefits and regional integration for member countries.

The CASA-1000 project is a 1,270km power transmission line that exports excess hydropower generated in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan. Transmission components under the project are being financed by IDB, World Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, UK’s Department for International Development, and USAID at a total cost of $1.17 billion approximately.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021