362 replies to this topic

[Umair T]

4,955 villages provided electricity in 2006-07’

ISLAMABAD: Around 4,955 villages have been electrified during year 2006-07 and the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) has completed electrification of 5,001 houses, said MEPCO chief executive on Monday.

He said this while speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Water and Power that was held at the Parliament House, Islamabad under the chairmanship of Ghulam Murtaza Maitla.The MEPCO chief executive briefed the committee about the jurisdiction of the MECPO and village electrification progress in the MEPCO region.

The committee recommended that free units given to employees of WAPDA should be reviewed. The MECPO chief executive briefed the committee about the reform and restructuring of WAPDA. He informed the committee about the new vision of PEPCO to make the Pakistan power sector consumer friendly, efficient and responsible, so that it could meet the electric energy requirements of industry and domestic customers. The vision will move the country to energy sufficient model from the current energy deficient scenario on commercially viable and sustainable basis, which will support the high growth economy and will meet the government’s objective of power for all, he added. The committee recommended that Karachi should be divided into sectors and that two or three sectors may be given to the management of WAPDA to resolve the load shedding issue. The committee also recommended that energy saver appliances should be installed at the government offices instead of usual bulbs and tubes. The committee appreciated the policies of PEPCO to reduce electricity problems and to generate more power.
link

[maglomanic]

Karachi waste to energy plan.560 MW from Karachi waste will be produced by a Chinese company. I hope more cities follow suit
http://www.brecorder...9...m=&supDate=

CDGK and Chinese company sign accord for solid waste management
KARACHI (November 12 2007): City District Government Karachi (CDGK) and Shanghai Shun Gong Environmental Protection Limited Sunday signed an agreement to lift garbage and carry it to landfill site at 20 dollars a ton for the next 20 years and Letter of Intent (LoI) thereof issued to the company.

The agreement was signed by Qian Yu Lin, Managing Director of the company and Masood Alam EDO Municipal Services CDGK at a ceremony held at a local hotel. Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal, Chinese Consul General at Karachi Chen Shan Min and Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil, besides DCO Javed Hanif, Town Nazims of Karachi, Chairman of City Council and others were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the ceremony Mustafa Kamal pointed out that present was the era of technology and the technology which was being used for solid waste management in the world's mega cities has been introduced here today because generation of 10,000 tons of garbage daily could not be cleared without technological use. However, he made it clear that with the use of technology no one working in the solid waste management system would be unemployed and rather employment and job for even scavengers is also ensured.

"During the next few months, the entire city will become clean", Nazim Karachi announced and said the city government has worked on the new system for the last one year inviting offers from companies having vast experience in solid waste management and five of them responded with offers including French, German,

Kuwaiti, Malaysian and Chinese besides a local company.

He said highest offer was for 64 dollars per ton while Chinese company gave an offer of 20 dollars per ton and its bid was declared successful. This company, he pointed out, has very vast experience and would be responsible for lifting house to house garbage and hospital waste and their safe transportation to landfill site.

He said that under the agreement the company would develop landfill site into a modern site besides constructing eight garbage transfer stations and one more landfill site.

He said the company would also be responsible to take steps for environmental improvement around garbage stations and transfer the garbage into vehicles in closed courtyard.

Mustafa Kamal described handing over solid waste management system to a company having a vast experience in the field, a revolutionary step which, he said, on the one hand would bring in an investment of 250 million dollars and on the other citizens would have the facility of lifting of their garbage and its removal in a secure and scientific manner, which will have good effects on the environment.

Nazim Karachi said the Chinese company would generate 560 MW electricity from the waste, which would be sold to KESC with city government to receive 15 percent income.

He said that privatisation of solid waste was part of our plan which was first introduced at local level and reached the present stage gradually. Under the agreement, he said, the company will manage the system without any raise in the amount for the next 20 years.

Mustafa Kamal said the company will lift garbage from major roads with the help of machines and with sweeping in the internal areas and practical stapes will commence after three months from today.

Company's Managing Director Ian You Lin said they are coming here with entire resources, paraphernalia, and technical staff. He said Pakistan and China are friendly countries and we will serve the people of Karachi in the light of our experiences so that Karachi is made the world's most beautiful city.

He informed that set-up was being established and company would take over charge of solid waste management by January 2008 and people of Karachi will feel a change.


Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2007

[Tarbela]

Wind power generation: Letters of Intent issued to 93 firms

Letters of Intent (LoIs) have been issued by the government to 93 local and foreign firms for power generation using wind energy. This is hoped to help meet the country’s growing power demand, Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) officials said Tuesday during a meeting with the caretaker federal minister for power and water, Tariq Hameed.

The minister had held two separate meetings with AEDB officials and the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) officials to seek briefings regarding ongoing and upcoming projects.

AEDB officials told the minister that five investors had applied for licenses to set up such facilities at Gharo-Keti Bandar in Sindh where the AEDB had identified the potential of around 50,000 MW, sources told Daily Times. Licenses were issued to (among others) Green Tower, New Park Energy, Tenega, Win Power and Miligro. The licenses of Zephyr Power, Zolyu Energy and Beacon Energy are under process. Moreover, land has been allotted to 15 companies so that each of them could establish plants for 50 mega watts each, the minister was told.

Officials said that the major thrust of the AEDB was to assist investors in meeting the increasing power demand. The country has been facing a power crisis, and the galloping demand-supply gap had resulted in frequent breakdowns, hurting not only domestic consumers but also the industry. Officials further said that the generation potential was based on three-year wind data gathered at Gharo-Keti Bandar by the Meteorological Department.

The AEDB, after conducting an extensive analysis of the data, got four 50-metre-high wind-measuring masts installed by private sector. The AEDB and the Sindh government are now working in close co-ordination for the identification and allotment of land in the wind corridor. In another meeting, IRSA officials told the minister that a meeting of the advisory committee would be held on December 3. During this meeting, all provinces are expected to present their water plan for the Rabi season.

[Tarbela]

Musharraf inaugurates power plant


President Pervez Musharraf has urged the need to ensure short, mid and long-term strategies to cover the power shortage in the country.

He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the 136 MW Bhiki Power Plant at Bhiki, 15 km from here Monday, completed by a private sector company Pakistan Power Resources (PPR) in collaboration with the Associated Group (AG).

The project funded by Bank of Punjab and Faysal Bank costing $80 million, is the second fast-track rental-based power project in Pakistan. President Musharraf stressing the need to increase power generation for a fast-growing industry and economy urged the private sector to make use of all available resources in this regard.

The last five years have seen a lot of economic growth, and the energy demand has increased manifold during this period in all sectors, he observed. He said electricity can be made through gas, coal and water and the private business concerns should utilise these resources to meet national energy requirements.

We also need to increase our gas output to meet the country’s industrial and domestic needs, he added. Talking about the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, the President said that even if India does not agree to the terms of the project, Pakistan will continue negotiations to import gas from Iran.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 -------- SHEIKHUPURA:

The News:

[Tarbela]

Cabinet approves $2bn electricity project in Azad Kashmir


Dec 12 (AFP):

Pakistan's cabinet Wednesday approved construction of a two billion dollar electricity project in Azad Kashmir, the government said. The “strategically important” Neelum-Jhelum power project, which envisages the diversion of Neelum river waters in Pakistani Kashmir would be built in eight years by a Chinese company, a government statement said. Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro said the project would secure Pakistan's rights over the waters under an accord with India that was brokered by the World Bank.

[Tarbela]

Neelum-Jhelum power project awarded to Chinese firm

LAHORE (December 20 2007): Water and Power Development Authority on Wednesday awarded contract of 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric project costing Rs 90.9 billion to a top class Chinese firm to be executed by 2015.

Speaking on the occasion after the singing ceremony, Wapda Chairman Shakeel Durrani said the total cost of the project is Rs 128 billion, which also includes acquisition of land and other expenditures.

He said 5.15 billion units worth Rs 25 billion will be produced annually with excellent 26 percent rate of return which is highest than all other existing projects in the country. About the funding, Shakeel said Rs 60 billion will be arranged by the Government of Pakistan and Wapda while the remaining will be managed through banks. Regarding the security of staff at the site, he said foolproof arrangements have already been made at all under-construction projects across the country.

He said energy is the basic ingredient of development of a country. The fast-growing energy requirements in Pakistan needed to be met to achieve full economic and social development.

The chairman said the government is focusing on the development of indigenous hydropower resources, as Pakistan possessed colossal potential, which can be fully exploited on long-term basis for provision of power at much lower costs. Member (Water) Muhammad Mushtaq Chaudhry, Member (Power) Fazal Ahmad Khan and other senior officials of both the stakeholders were present on the occasion.

[Tarbela]

Nepra finalises three wind power projects

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has finalised upfront tariff of three different investment firms, which intend to set up three 50 megawatt wind power projects in Sindh.

Sources in Sindh Environment and Alternative Energy Department told Business Recorder on Wednesday that another application had been filed in Nepra by an investment firm and the tariff fixation was in process.

The Nepra announced an upfront tariff of US cents 9.5 per kWh levelised over the term of the project, including all the provisions of its policy framed on January 17, which was applicable till December 31. Three independent power producers (IPPs) - Green Power, Beacon Energy and Win Power - had filed petitions for tariff determination to Nepra under the framed policy, the sources said.

As many as eight investors have so far applied for grant of generation license to the Nepra. They are New Park Energy Limited, Tenaga Generasi Limited, Green Power (Pvt) Limited, Win Power Limited, Zephyr Power Limited, Milergo Pakistan Limited, Beacon Energy Limited and Zorlu Enerji (Pakistan) Limited.

Nepra issued generation license to five companies - New Park Energy, Green Power, Win Power, Tenaga Generasi and Milergo Pakistan, they added. Applications of the remaining three investors for grant of generation license were under process, they concluded.

Copyright Business Recorder,

[maglomanic]

http://www.dawn.com/...1/12/local1.htm

KARACHI: Chinese firm to manage city’s solid waste for 20 years

By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque

KARACHI, Jan 11: A final agreement to privatise and hand over the city’s solid waste management to a Chinese firm for a period of 20 years was signed here on Friday night.

The agreement was signed in the presence of City Nazim Mustafa Kamal by Executive District Officer (Municipal Services) Masood Alam and Managing Director of Shanghai Shen Gong Environmental Protection Company Limited Qian Yu Lin at a simple ceremony held at a local hotel.

The city government and the Chinese firm had inked a letter of intent (LoI) in this regard in November.

The Chinese firm would be responsible for door-to-door collection of solid waste from all areas of the city and its disposal on designated landfill sites from now onward. The city government and towns’ staff and machinery relating to solid waste management will be at the disposal of the foreign company which will be responsible for their salaries and benefits under the agreement.

The company will invest $250 million to upgrade the existing landfill site, establish its offices, eight garbage transfer stations and one more landfill site in the suburbs of Karachi. The system is stipulated to be up and running by March.

Under the agreement, the city government will pay $20 per tonne to the Chinese company for lifting and disposal of domestic waste, hospital hazards and other chemical waste in a way that there be no threat to the environment.

Officials said about 8,000 tonnes of solid waste was being generated in the metropolis for which the city government would be paying around $160,000 to the firm daily. The officials claimed that the city government and the 18 towns were spending around Rs3 billion annually on the lifting and disposal of solid waste but the situation on the ground was not satisfactory as only half of the total waste was being disposed at the landfill site. Now the estimated amount to be paid to the Chinese firm would be Rs3.5 billion every year.

Municipal tax

Well-placed sources told Dawn that the city government was going to impose a municipal tax across the city through which it would charge Rs25 per month for the lifting of garbage from each house. Sources explained that the revenue to be generated through the municipal tax would help the city government meet the cost to be paid to the Chinese firm.

At present, most of the 178 union councils were charging Rs50 from each house in the head of garbage collection.

According to the agreement, the Chinese company would generate money through waste recycling project and it would give 15 per cent of the total revenue generated in this head to the city government.

The Chinese firm will also install a waste energy plant at a later stage to generate 560 megawatts electricity. Under the agreement, it will sell power to the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation and the city government will get 15 per cent of the total income.
Sources believed that the privatisation of the solid waste management would bring uniformity in the process as currently the city government and the towns were separately doing the job.

Earlier, five firms had shown their interest in managing the city’s solid waste and the city government had received the highest bid of $64 per tonne. However, the Chinese firm offered the lowest rate of $20 per tonne.

[Tarbela]

(APP): The Engro’s dollars 33 million LNG Terminal project is scheduled to be completed in early 2009.

The Engro Vopak Terminal Limited already owns and operates a modern liquid chemicals and LPG terminal at the Port Qasim.

In order to facilitate Pakistan’s growing chemical industry with its bulk liquid and gaseous product requirements, EVTL is actively leveraging its strengths in the pursuit of LNG terminal under patronisation of the Federal Government.

Engro sources told APP here Friday that a 223 MW power project which is estimated to cost dollars 228 million is also expected to complete by the fourth quarter of 2009.

Engro Energy (Pvt) Limited was formed in February 2006 to pursue business in energy sector and identified a power project based on low BTU, high H2S gas from Qadirpur gas field.

The project is unique as it would convert low BTU high sulphur content permeate gas, which is currently being wasted and flared, into much needed electric power by the country.

The sources pointed out that Engro has diversified its operations and invested in joint ventures/ subsidiaries engaged in chemical terminal and storage, PVC resin manufacturing and marketing, control and automation businesses, food and energy sector.

They said after fertiliser manufacturing, Engro’s one of major initiatives was Engro Foods Limited, a state- of- the- art dairy processing factory, in Sukkur.

They said the company has initiated a major expansion in milk collection and dairy processing capacity with a new plant in Sahiwal that commenced production in December 2007.


Economic Coordination Committee allocated 100 mscfd gas to ECPL from Qadirpur gas field to expand our current urea fertiliser plant at Daharki, District Ghotki, Sindh.

[Tarbela]

Work on Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric project kicks off

LAHORE: Water and Power Minister Tariq Hamid said on Sunday the groundbreaking of 969 megawatt (MW) Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric project would be held this week.

The land for the project has been acquisitioned, Hamid told a meeting at Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) House. WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani and Member (water) Muhammad Mushtaq Chaudhry attended the meting, which also reviewed progress on Diamer-Basha Dam and other hydropower projects. Hamid said the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric project would give Pakistan water rights over the River Neelum, adding that it would also help improve the ratio of hydroelectric power generation in the country. “The development will help produce about 5,150 gigawatt hour electricity annually,” he added.

The minister said work on 11 projects with an accumulative power generation capacity of more than 12,000MW would start by 2009. These projects include Bunji (5,400MW), Dasu (4,000MW), Kohala (1,100MW), Spatgah and Palas Valley (1,230MW), he added.

He was hopeful that the detailed engineering designs of Diamer-Basha Dam would be available in a couple of months. This would follow preparation of tender documents and invitation of bids to build the dam, he added. “The dam construction is expected to start in 2009. The project will generate 4,500MW of electricity and store irrigation water.”

Hamid said his ministry had finalised a strategy to use Thar coal reserves to produce power. app

http://www.dailytime...4-2-2008_pg7_17

[maglomanic]

http://www.brecorder...2...m=&supDate=

Plan to conserve energy: solar power-based lights for government buildings proposed
MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

ISLAMABAD (February 10 2008): The government has decided to use solar energy-based lights on all important buildings, like Prime Minister House and Secretariat, as part of energy-saving strategy, official sources told Business Recorder.

"With appropriate energy conservation policy, a minimum saving up to 25 percent in various segments of the energy sector can bring saving of $2 billion per annum," sources said quoting from a presentation given to Prime Minister Muhammedmian Soomro recently.

They said that federal and provincial governments would start using energy-saving bulbs, whereas Pakistan Electrical Power Company (Pepco) would provide energy-savers free of cost to government offices and hospitals.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), which welcomed Mushtaq as Chairman, has been directed to co-ordinate with electronic media for launching effective campaign in the masses for energy conservation.

"Citizens should be encouraged to use solar panel geysers, energy saving bulbs and public transport," sources said. They said that public-private partnership should be promoted for facilitating easy access to appropriate technology.

Energy-intensive entities would develop conservation plans and would establish help lines to guide the people and national awards would be given for prominent achievers of energy conservation in respective sectors of economy.

In future, billboards may be converted onto solar energy and government high schools and colleges in the federal capital would introduce buses/vans for pick and drop.

Private schools/colleges having more than 500 students should be advised to arrange school transport through buses and vans for pick and drop and based on energy and industry shall be asked to become more efficient in the use of energy in their industrial operations.

Ministry of Environment will prepare a work plan with timeframe in co-ordination with Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Ministry of Water & Power and Alternative Energy Development Board to put forward specific schemes and projects for achieving energy saving targets. The said work plan would be phased into short term, medium term and long term. Sources said that Rs 50 million has also been allocated for Enercon and all major entities would have their energy conservation plans with defined timelines.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2008

[Tarbela]

Musharraf inaugurates DHA Karachi Desalination Plant

President Pervez Musharraf inaugurated the desalination plant constructed under the management of Defence Houseing Authority in karachi on Monday.

The plant is planned to daily provide three million gallons of drinking water and 94 Mega Watts of electricity as well as power supply to the area will be channelised through main grid of KESC.

Clifton Cantonment Board will supply water to the residents of DHA through a specially laid down water pipeline system. Thus, water shortage and power crisis facing the Defence area would be brought under control to a great extent.

This is the first ever desalination plant equipped with the latest technology in the country’s history. The DHA Desalination Project is situated in Defence Phase-VIII on eight to ten acre of coastal area. The project has been completed in three years with foreign investment of $120 million.

[maglomanic]

Great stuff. Thats the way forward and solution to our energy crisis.

http://www.brecorder...3...m=&supDate=

Liaquatabad becomes first town to use solar energy

KARACHI (March 28 2008): Liaquatabad Town has become the first town of Karachi to use solar energy to meet its power requirements and is carrying out planning in this regard. In the first phase solar energy system will be introduced for all the parks, street lights and Town buildings.

Town Nazim Usama Qadri said Thursday that Ministry for Alternate Energy is being approached in this regard and electricity so saved would be diverted for public usage. Usama Qadri said that incessant and ever-growing load shedding by KESC has made the lives of poor people miserable on one hand and affected the Town's performance on the other.

He said that load-shedding has plunged the Town into darkness and newly fitted electric lights fused because of frequent power failures while electric motors in parks burnt. Town Nazim said that recently 11 PMTs were got installed in the Town by spending lacs of rupees, 11,000 KV cable laid and three feeders installed at a cost of Rs 90 million. But, he said, all planning faded away because of load-shedding and now the Town has started planning to use alternate sources of energy.


Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2008

[Tarbela]

Wapda to construct 11 dams by 2010

Musharaf Zahoor -- POST

LAHORE: WAPDA has planned to start the construction of eleven dams on different locations with 11170 MW capacity of generating electricity till 2010 and detailed engineering designs would complete in the next two years.

Insiders have maintained that there had not been a single hydropower project constructed in the last sixty years due to which the demand and supply gap had widened so large. They maintained that the lack of continuity in government policies and the appointments of non-technical executives obliged by the authorities exacerbated the situation.

They revealed that currently Pakistan was loosing 1,30,00,000 cusecs water which directly flows to the ocean from the rivers. He maintained that Pakistan is blessed with 54000 MW hydel power potential but in the last sixty years the country has just exploited 6500 MW of its total potential.

According to the data available from Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) the feasibility and detailed engineering work of eleven dams would be completed till 2010 and their construction work could be start any time. These dams include Keyal Khwar Dam at Kyal Khwar river at Patan with 122 MW installed capacity, Kohala Dam project on Jehlum rivet at Kohala with 110 MW installed capacity to generate electricity, Dasu dam project on Indus river at Dasu with 4000 MW installed capacity of power generation, Spat Gah project on Spat Gah river at Patan with power generation capacity of 610 MW, Palas Valley on Chor Nullah at Patan with 621 MW installed power generation capacity, Bunji project on Indus river at Gilgit with 5400 MW power generation capacity, Phandar project on Ghizar river at Gilgit with installed power generation capacity of 80 MW, Basho Dam project on Basho river near Skardu with 28 MW power generation capacity, Lawi project with 70 MW power generation capacity at Darosh-Chitral on Shishi river, Golen Gol project on Golen Gol- Mastuj river at Golen Chitral Mastuj with total 106 MW installed power generation capacity and Harpo project with 33 MW power generation capacity on Harpo Lungma river at Skardu.

It has been said by the WAPDA officials that the feasibility reports and detailed engineering work of Thakot project on Indus river at Thakot with 2800 MW installed capacity and Patan project at Patan on Indus river with 2800 MW installed power generation capacity would complete after 2010.

They said that Neelum Jehlum hydel construction project would complete in five years, adding, it had a capacity of generating 969 MW approximately equal to Mangla Dam. They told that the feasibility and technical studies of three power-generating sites of Khawar power project would start falling from the last months of 2008 and would complete in 2010, adding, and immediately after the completion of reports the construction work would start. They further told that one of these new schemes was the 96 MW Jinnah hydropower project, which was being developed by WAPDA. While revealing the details, they said, Jinnah Hydel Power Project broke ground in December 2006 and was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010. They mentioned that the project was the part of a 25-year master plan to meet increasing energy demand being driven by rapid economic growth in Pakistan. They further informed that Diamir-Bhasha dam whose feasibility report and detailed technical engineering designs had completed and its construction would complete in 2016 which would generate 4500 MW of electricity.

Insiders regretted that Kalabagh Dam was the most suitable dam but it was the irony of fate that the project was politicised and had not started yet since 1960 when the feasibility and detailed engineering work started on the sight. They informed that Kalabagh would have an installed capacity of 2,400 MW initially and 3,600 MW ultimately. They added that Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) estimated that annual electricity generated at Kalabagh would be 20 million barrels of oil equivalent, saving fuel that would otherwise be needed to produce thermal power. They mentioned that due to the delay in the construction of the dam the cost of construction had raised as earlier it was $6.1 billion.

Insiders further said that the capacities of the three existing reservoirs of the Indus Basin Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma were declining due to sedimentation. They said that the live storage capacity of the three reservoirs has been reportedly reduced by about 20 percent. They added that the up-gradation work on these dams would contribute a little to generate power as compare to the increasing demand of the electricity. They maintained that there were five major hydropower generation projects in Pakistan which namely, Tarbela with installed capacity of 3478 MW, Mangla with 1000 MW, Warsak with 240 MW and Chashma with 187 MW and Ghazi Barotha with 1450 MW. There are also several smaller hydel schemes whose combined installed capacity is about 108 MW.

It is pertinent to mentioned here that currently country had a total short fall of 3200 MW. While the experts mentioned that until 2004, firm supply of electricity stood at 15,056 MW while the demand was under 14,000 MW (we had a surplus). In the past three years 7 percent GDP growth rate in economy has accelerated the demand for electricity, which now stands at around 18,000 MW. They apprehended that they were not expecting any significant addition to the power generation capacity till 2010. They further maintained that demand would have gone up in 2010 up to 20,000 MW and the demand-supply gap would hit a shocking figure of 5000 MW. It is important to note that that currently total power generation capacity in Pakistan is 17,457 MW which includes the hydropower generation capacity of 5,013 MW, the thermal power generation capacity of 12,169 MW and the nuclear power generation capacity of 462 MW.

According to the data available from different sources the current power demand in the Punjab is about 7,027 MW, which is expected to rise to 29,103 MW in 2024-25 under the most conservative growth rate of 6.1 percent while the current power demand of 2,642 MW in Sindh is expected to rise to 10,993 MW in 2024-25. On the other hand the current power demand of 1,697 MW in NWFP is expected to rise to 7,018 MW in 2024-25 and in Balochistan the current power demand of 474 MW is expected to rise to 1,964 MW in 2024-25.

It has been found that the main sources of electricity generation in Pakistan are hydel, oil, gas, coal and nuclear power. Among these, hydel power is the only renewable source of energy and is also the least expensive form of electricity.

A retired WAPDA executive on the condition of anonymity told this scribe that the lack of consistency in the government policies had put a negative impact on the investors who were interested to invest in the hydel power generation sector of the country. It is pertinent to note that Mangla Dam upraising project is continued since 2002.It would be raised 30 feet which would enhance the capacity of the water reservoir and as well as would help to generate 110 MW extra power through this raising project. He maintained that the cost of construction of hydel power projects is twice more than the thermal and nuclear power projects. Comparing both thermal and hydel power generating units, he said that the hydel power projects were the only source which could be renewed. He said that due to the depreciation in the thermal plants their capacity to generate decreased after some years but the hydro power units had only the cost till their installation after that their capacities do not decrease provided the water level in the reservoir remained on a required level. He revealed that NWFP as compare to all other provinces had a more potential for hydropower generation.

[Tarbela]

Tapping wind turbine-making facility


Pakistan is presently short of 3500 mega watts (MW) of electricity. If fossil fuel is utilised for this purpose, it would be extremely costly as oil recently peaked at $114 per barrel. Hence some other means should be adopted for the production of electricity. This article dwells on the generation of electricity through wind and focuses on manufacturing of wind turbines, the machines used for the generation of electricity.

Generation of electricity through wind is not something new. India, the fourth in line of countries in the world for the generation of electricity, is producing more than 8000 MW of electricity by utilising wind turbines. It is manufacturing these turbines and exporting them. One would be surprised to know that in the region of Nevarra, Spain, 70 per cent of the region’s energy needs are fulfilled by wind and solar energy. It’s a classic example of using renewable energy in any country. The question that automatically comes to one’s mind is: “If it can be done in Spain, why can’t it be done in Pakistan?” The answer is a big Yes.

A layman would ask as to what a wind turbine is? Simply put, a wind turbine is a machine that is used for the generation of electricity from wind. It’s installed on a tower at a windy location to capture wind so as to generate electricity. The faster the wind blows, the more electricity would be produced. Once a wind turbine is installed, it would produce energy for 25-30 years free of cost as no other fuel is used except wind.

A typical wind turbine comprises a rotor with one, two or three blades, a gearbox, two shafts, a generator and a controller. It is installed on a steel tower facing the wind. The higher the turbine is installed, the more electricity it would produce. If the wind is slow and turbulent near the ground, that would not be suitable for energy generation. The turbine operates for 363 out of 365 days a year and stopped only for two days during the year for carrying out its scheduled maintenance.

A question often asked is: “If we go for the wind energy option, we would be needing hundreds of wind turbines in order to make up for the shortfall of electricity. Why can’t we manufacture these turbines ourselves?” Yes, we can, if there’s a will. We cannot expect foreign manufacturers to provide these turbines to us as and when we need them due to the long lead time involved. Moreover, we would be dependent on manufacturers for the supply of spares.


Our country is blessed with excellent manpower that’s extremely cheap and hardworking. Here I would like to narrate a small incident. We wanted to manufacture a certain item in Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra for which we had to collaborate with a French company. The French team evaluated the expertise of our technicians. The French team leader asked his counterpart as to what would be the charges for the expertise of his technicians if it was decided to manufacture the item in Kamra. Our team leader just said off-the-cuff that he would charge $10 per hour per technician.


The cost of manufacture can be brought down drastically if we were to utilise the existing facilities for manufacturing parts and components of turbines and assemble them at a central location, followed by rigorous testing.

During a survey of the manufacturing facilities, I got convinced that parts and components of wind turbine could be easily manufactured indigenously. Blades and hubs (the item to which blades are firmly connected) can be produced without any hassle at Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF), Kamra. The gearbox and the two shafts are purely mechanical items, nothing special about them.The services and expertise of Machine Tools Factory, Landhi, Karachi or at Heavy Mechanical Complex, Taxila or any other facility dealing in mechanical items can be utilised..

The electrical generator installed behind the gearbox can be produced by any of the electrical concerns at Lahore or Karachi. The same goes for controller that utilises electronics besides computer software. Much more complicated projects are undertaken in our electromechanical-cum-electronics-cum computers concerns. As for the steel towers on which the turbines would be installed; these are being manufactured in the country.


By Azfar A. Khan
The writer is the ex-managing director, Kamra Avionics & Radar Factory.

[Tarbela]

Descon is awarded an EPC contract for a 225 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant

Descon Engineering Limited has signed a contract with Halmore Power Generation Company (Pvt.) Limited, an Independent Power Producer, here on April 12, for a 225 MW thermal power plant on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis at Bhikki, Punjab. The ceremony was attended by Chairman Descon; Mr. Abdul Razzak Dawood, Managing Director & CEO Descon Mr. Sheikh Azhar Ali and Chief Executive Halmore; Dr. Mian M. Sharif. The top managements of both organizations were also present at the moment. By signing this contract Descon has become the first Pakistani Company that will execute a combined cycle power plant on EPC basis. This in itself is a great leap and a moment of great pride for the local engineering industry.
The project is expected to reach its completion by middle of 2010.
http://www.descon.com.pk/default.aspx

[Tarbela]

Construction of Diamar-Basha Dam from June

KARACHI: The construction of the Diamar-Basha Dam will start from June and the tariff for the Thar Coal power projects will be settled within a week, said the chairman of the Water And Power Development Authority (WPDA), Shakeel Durrani, Monday. Durrani met Sindh Minister for Irrigation and Power Jam Saifullah Dharejo at the Sindh Secretariat. He told the media that the last government could not make a decision about the Thar tariff. “There is enough Thar coal to meet electricity demands for a hundred years,” he said.
staff report

http://www.dailytime...6-5-2008_pg7_22

[Tarbela]

Chinese company to install 50 MW wind-power plant project

KARACHI: Planet Energy Private Limited Pakistan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm, Goldwind Science and Technology, to purchase turbines for its 50 MW wind-power plant project, which will have an expansion capacity of 150 MW.

Planet Energy Chairman Tariq Syed and Goldwind Science and Technology’s Vice President Wang Xiangming signed the MoU in Urumqui, China, stated the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Monday.

With this agreement, the Planet Energy (Pvt) Ltd has become one of the few companies in Pakistan to be able to secure wind turbines at a time when demand has increased drastically and the waiting period can extend to five years.

Syed assured that more turbines will be available to other companies interested in developing Pakistan’s wind energy market so that the current energy crises can be tackled through technology. This will reduce Pakistan’s dependence on imported fuel, which is a major contributor to its import bill, he added. app

[Tarbela]

Govt considering setting up energy council, coal authority


ISLAMABAD: Government is considering to set up Federal Energy Council and National Coal Authority that would work for utilization of energy resources, Daily Times learnt.

Sources said that proposals to set up these two apex bodies are under consideration before the cabinet, and at the start of the fiscal year 2008-09 the government may approve.

The proposed Federal Energy Council will have representatives from federal government, all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas.

The government is working on setting up these two bodies keeping in view the delay in the completion of the energy projects that have raised their cost by billion of rupees. Sources said that government is giving priority to the energy sector and the said bodies would also work to remove the reservations between the federal government and provinces and between the provinces. They said that the council would also be given the task to work on the mega water projects like Basha dam.

They said that government has also decided to explore the indigenous oil, gas and coal reserves keeping in view the higher oil prices in the international market. Government has set the policy to focus on the hydel and coal based power generation keeping in view the costly thermal power generation by independent power producers (IPPs).

Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) and Sindh Coal Authority (SCA) are tackling the issues relating to coal in Thar. They said that the said authority would also handle the issues like tariff, coal ownership and royalties.

Sources informed that PPIB has failed to attract investors for working on coal reserves in Sindh and National Coal Authority is must for attracting investment. Coal based power generation only up to 1,000MW could save the foreign exchange equivalent to $495.31 million annually in the form of fuel only and could create 20,000 jobs. Power generation through coal is not expensive rather it is far competitive than thermal. Coal base power generation is Rs 5.67 per unit, while the existing IPPs produce the same at the rate of Rs 9.27 per unit as per the estimates of 2007-08.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk

[Tarbela]

1,000 MW power import agreement with CARs

ISLAMABAD, June 27 (APP): Pakistan will sign agreement for import of 1,000 MW electricity from Central Asian Republics (CARs) during a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Council (IGC) to be held here next month.

Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf said while talking to the Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan, Nurlan Aitmurzaev who called on him here on Friday.

The Minister said that the agreements will be signed among Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and the International Financial Institutions for import of 1000 MW and to further develop electricity trading arrangements between the Central and South Asian regions during the four day meeting of the IGC in the last week of July.

He said that Pakistan is facing energy crisis and all measures are being taken by the government to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

The establishment of this electricity link between CARs and South Asia will strengthen the economic ties and enhance the bilateral relations among the countries, he added.

He also stressed the need to explore possibilities for cooperation in other sectors particularly in tourism. He said that both the countries should exchange delegations to promote tourism between the two countries.

The Ambassador discussed other matters of mutual interest especially investment possibilities in water, power, transport and trade sectors. The Ambassador said that Kyrgyzstan has great electricity potential with surplus power and will provide every possible assistance and technical cooperation in this regard.

During meeting both underlined the need to expedite the actions on the decision signed in the last meeting of the Kyrgyzstan-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission.

[Tarbela]

Engineering design of Diamer-Basha dam completed


LAHORE: A detailed engineering design as well as tender documents of the multi-purpose Diamer-Basha dam have been completed and all studies and details have also been reviewed by an international panel of experts.

Water and Power Development Authority Chairman Shakil Durrani stated this during a presentation on Diamer-Basha dam at the WAPDA House here on Monday. Project consultants, senior officers of the water and power ministry and Planning Commission, former members (water) and members of WAPDA attended the presentation. The WAPDA chairman said Diamer-Basha dam “is a project of immense importance, which is the largest executed in any sector in the country.”

He informed that Rs200 million had been allocated for the project in the federal budget for 2008-09, while the pre-qualification process of contractors had already been initiated. Construction work on the project, he said, would commence next year following international competitive biddings and every effort would be made to ensure that highest professional standards of quality and safety were maintained. “The project will go a long way in coping with the increasing demand of water and electric power in the country. It will help increase the ratio of low-cost hydel power in the national grid,” the WAPDA chairman added.

Later, the consultants briefed the participants of the presentation that the 272-metre-high Diamer-Basha dam would be the highest Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam in the world with more than 100-km-long reservoir.

It was observed that the dam’s live storage capacity would be 6.4 million acre feet, while 4,500 megawatts of electricity would be generated by the project. Diamer-Basha dam would contribute more than 18,000 giga watt hours of electricity annually to the national grid.

http://thenews.jang....l.asp?id=121438

[Tarbela]

Power plant feasibility study deadline: Chinese investors

ISLAMABAD (July 09 2008): Chinese investors have sought the foreign ministry's assistance against the Private Power Infrastructure Board decision not to further extend the date of submission of a feasibility study of 250MW coal-based power plant, sources in the PPIB told Business Recorder.

The sources said that China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC), which is currently working on Sonda-Jherruck coal mine and power project, wrote a letter to Foreign Affairs Secretary Salman Bashir, reminding him of his endeavours to attract foreign investment, an objective that has been compromised by the PPIB decision.


"As the project is the first of its kind in Pakistan and also the first for the CMC on BOT basis, there are host of complex issues that need to be resolved between the company and relevant organisations both in China and Pakistan," the sources quoted the company's Vice President Qin Ruijuan as stating in the letter.

The firm had also written a letter to the PPIB Managing Director, in which it said that the board decision might harm bilateral relations between the two countries. The sources said that a senior diplomat in the Chinese embassy has met with Water and Power Secretary Ismail Qureshi and conveyed him the Chinese government's reservations about the PPIB decision.

Giving the background development engagements, CMC, in its letter clarified that it was working for long time with relevant government agencies in Pakistan to develop the integrated coal mine and power project at Sonda-Jherruck in Thatta (Sindh) on BOT basis.

According to the company, detailed coal geological investigation for the project had already been completed in 2007 whereas feasibility study for the coal mines was completed and based on that, the mining licence was granted by Sindh government and lease deed was signed with the provincial government in 2008.

After signing the lease deed, the company was in the process of undertaking further hydro-geological investigative work to determine whether the adequacy of water resources for the power plant as the river nearby was unable to cater to the needs during the dry season.

"We have to look forward and we are preparing the second draft of technical and commercial proposals for review by the PPIB and other government authorities concerned," the sources quoted the company as saying. The company had submitted the first draft a couple of months ago to the organisations concerned.

[Tarbela]

Malaysia’s MMC to invest in Pakistan’s energy sector

KUALA LUMPUR (updated on: July 09, 2008, 16:46 PST): Malaysia’s largest investment company MMC has shown interest in investing in Pakistan’s energy sector. The MMC delegation led by its Chairman Dato’ Wira Syed Abdul Jabbar bin Syed Hassan called on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani here Wednesday and expressed interest in carrying out projects in Pakistan’s power sector.

The MMC chairman said his company was preparing feasibility on the 1200 megawatt coal fired power project in Balochistan’s Gadani area.

He briefed the Prime Minister of his company’s plan regarding the wind energy project in Nooriabad and the initial work done on it.

Prime Minister Gilani welcomed MMC’s desire to invest in Pakistan and invited him to explore more opportunities in the country’s energy sector.

He said Pakistan was facing energy crisis and the government was striving to resolve power problems swiftly in minimum time.

Gilani said the government would soon announce power sector policy with special incentives for foreign investors.



Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2008

[Tarbela]

Bids for Winder Dam called

LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has called the bids for the construction of Winder Dam in Balochistan, which would be opened on July 24, 2008.

According to an official statement Thursday, WAPDA member (Water), Syed Raghib Abbas Shah while presiding over a meeting said special attention to be paid to enhance the pace of work on the projects as country was in dire need of more and more water as well as hydropower generation.

He asked the Project Directors to rehash the implementation plans in league with the construction firms and consultants and get the work done as envisaged in the schedules.

Quantity, quality and financial control should be the keys in execution of the projects, he added.

Reviewing the progress, it was noted with satisfaction that a number of water and hydropower projects are presently at the advance stages of their completion.

The meeting was informed that the Mangla Dam Raising Project is nearing completion, likewise, the second power house of Satpara Dam was expected to be commissioned in September this year, while the project, in totality, was likely to be completed by the first quarter of the year 2009. The meeting was briefed that the detailed engineering designs and tender documents of Hingol and Naulang dams would be finalised upto December this year. In addition, the detailed engineering design of Nai Gaj Dam would also be completed in February 2009.

http://www.dailytime...11-7-2008_pg5_3

[HORIZON]

Link

Tarbela to soon generate 960 MWs extra electricity

GHAZI: The Tarbela Dam would produce additional 960 MW electricity soon, official sources told The News. The project, costing $2 billion, was earlier handed over to the Private Power Infrastructure Board by the previous government, but later given to Wapda.

The Tarbela Dam, the largest water reservoir in the country, irrigates around 70 per cent of agricultural lands in the Punjab and Sindh from two tunnels, while three tunnels are used for producing 3,700 MWs electricity.

However, Wapda engineers have indicated recently that tunnel number 4 could produce 960 MWs power after installing two turbines with a capacity of 480 MWs each. Former minister for water and power Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao had handed over the project to the PIDB. However, the project required $2 billion that could only be provided by the government by borrowing money from international financial institutions.

Chief Engineer Khursheed Anwar told The News that the Tarbela Dam Power Station had till now produced 3.4 billion megawatts of electricity. He said that according to present rates, the value of the power produced was Rs 12.6 trillion.

He said the Wapda granted permission to repair the faulty 500kv heavy transformer to local engineers, which in the past was repaired by experts from abroad. The local engineers removed the fault successfully, he added.

Meanwhile, the victims of Tarbela Dam and Ghazi Barotha Project have demanded of the prime minister to direct the Wapda authorities to give admission to their children in Wapda schools and colleges.

[Tarbela]

$40 billion investment in energy sector: AJK plans to meet power needs of Pakistan

KARACHI (July 16 2008): Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), which has invited $40 billion of foreign investment in hydel energy sector as a part of its energy and investment-focused strategy during FY2008-09, has a plan to provide electricity to the power-hungry Pakistan which is facing 4,000MW shortage.

"Pakistan has a shortage of 4,000MW while Azad Kashmir has the potential to generate 17,000MW of electricity, for which we have invited $40 billion foreign investment in the energy sector," Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan told Business Recorder in an exclusive interview.

The AJK premier said his government had formulated a policy based on energy and investment for fiscal year 2008-09 under which no sales tax would be collected for 10 years on foreign investment in different energy sectors like hydel, solar, wind mill, bio diesel, fuel cell etc.

"We have the intention not only to provide electricity to Pakistan but also sell out the surplus to other regional countries like India," he added. The AJK Prime Minister said the investors would get the 10-years sales tax exemption even on the bio-products. The investment-based policy, he said, would also create employment opportunities in AJK, which would ultimately help the government alleviate the menace of poverty in the region.

He said some foreign investors were showing interest in response to his government's incentives in the energy sector. A Donors' Conference, to be held next month in AJK, would also focus on this matter, he added.
http://www.brecorder...7...m=&supDate=

[Tarbela]

Japan to help build two power plants



Japan has agreed to help set up two power plants of 500MW each. A 15-member visiting Japanese business delegation, which met Minister for Finance Syed Naveed Qamar here on Wednesday, also expressed its willingness to further increase investment in the automobile industry of Pakistan.

A participant of the meeting told Dawn that Japan’s Marubeni Company is expected to install two power plants within a period of one year.

The company also offered to provide 75 GE American railway locomotives at a cost of $200 million.

The head of the delegation, Mr Makoto Kakebayashi, said that the government of Japan and the Japanese investors were also keen to modernise basic infrastructure in Pakistan through Official Development Assistance (ODA), JICA and JPIC funding in health, education, water and communication sectors.

He said projects of Khanki Barrage and Karachi Circular Railway were already under way.

A report of the Pakistan-Japan Business Forum’s joint study would be submitted to the Government of Pakistan by the end of the year to greatly facilitate Japanese investment in the country, he said.

Syed Naveed Qamar, who is also the Minister for Privatisation and Investment, assured Japanese investors to soon establish special economic zone for Japanese investors on a priority basis, which would be equipped with basic infrastructure.

He also told the delegation that Pakistan’s economy was under pressure, particularly after its current account deficit widened due to oil and food imports and was being curtailed through effective measures.

Efforts, he said, were under way to improve security environment for the private sector and that the details of outright sale of various privatisation transactions would be made public within next 10 days.

The finance minister appreciated the interest being taken by the Japanese investors in power projects considering the existing power shortages in Pakistan.

http://www.dawn.com/.../07/24/ebr1.htm

[Tarbela]

Accord on electricity import from Tajikistan

ISLAMABAD, July 29: Pakistan is expected to sign an agreement with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan to import 1,000 megawatts of electricity from the two Central Asian states through Afghanistan.

Experts from the four nations will meet in Islamabad on July 31 to finalise a series of pacts under the inter-governmental agreement, to be signed by the energy ministers on Aug 4.

According to sources, the Central Asia-South Asia (Casa) project is being facilitated and sponsored by a consortium of international lenders, comprising the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank, for development of electricity sources in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan for export to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The inter-governmental agreement will cover a host of contracts relating to commercial, legal, financial, power purchase and transmission arrangements. The project will ensure a supply of 5.5 billion units of electricity per year to Pakistan from Sangtuda, Rogun, Talimardjan and Kambarata hydropower stations at 3.3-4.7 cents per unit.

The hydropower projects are under construction and will take two to four years to generate electricity.

The electricity will be delivered to Peshawar through a 650-700km extra-high voltage transmission line.

Pakistan will bear the cost of all the line losses in the transmission system. Two routes have been identified for the project.

One route will run through Afghanistan’s Kunduz province, Salang Pass and Jalalabad before reaching Peshawar and will cost 4.4 cents per unit. The transmission line through this route will stretch 170km in Tajikistan, 430km in Afghanistan and 50km in Pakistan. The World Bank supports this route.

Pakistan supports a route via Wakhan and Chitral whose length is estimated at 700km and its per unit cost in Peshawar is estimated at 4.9 to 5 cents. The line will run 360km in Tajikistan, 30km in Afghanistan (Wakhan) and 310km in Pakistan.

The sources said representatives of the four governments and the World Bank would decide about the route to be adopted during the discussions on July 31.

The World Bank has been trying to persuade Pakistan to import 4,000MW of cheap electricity from Central Asian states, besides working on domestic sources to overcome electricity shortage.

The bank estimates that Pakistan’s peak demand now exceeds 14,000MW and the present installed capacity of 19,500MW has become inadequate on account of wide variations in water availability. The demand is expected to exceed 20,000MW by 2010.

The World Bank says Pakistan should immediately start importing 1,000MW from Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic and then increase imports to 4,000MW in the second phase.

According to the World Bank, the cost of supply from Sangtuda, Rogun, Talimardjan and Kambarata power stations will range between 2.26 cents and 3.75 cents per unit compared with the existing average generation cost in Pakistan of 5.6 cents.

Pakistan is entering into contracts with independent power producers for thermal power generation at a tariff as high as 18 cents per unit.

Another attractive feature of the imports, according to the bank, is that Pakistan’s peak demand occurs in summer when Central Asian power systems have large surplus from their hydroelectric generation stations.

http://www.dawn.com/...07/30/top10.htm

Cheap electricity as compared to Pakistan thermal power generation at a tariff as high as 18 cents per unit.

[Mangla]

Massive news!

http://www.thenews.c...l.asp?id=127186


Landhi bio-gas test plant to revolutionise energy production


Thursday, July 31, 2008
By Saad Hasan

KARACHI: Deep inside a part of Landhi, where even a jeep struggles to cross, lies state-of-the-art technology which will use buffalo dung to change the economics and environment of the locality.

A bio gas test plant in Landhi Cattle Colony, which is one of the world’s biggest cattle farms with over 40,000 buffaloes, will start converting organic waste into fertiliser and natural gas within the next few days.

“Nobody has ever thought of such a big project,” said Robert D Orr, a director at Hirad, the English company which has set up the pilot project. “We are talking about collecting 8,000 tonnes of manure daily and using it to make something productive.”

After the project has been tested for a year, it is estimated it will produce 430,000 cubic metres of gas and 1,500 tonnes of fertiliser a day. Presently, the waste from nearly 2,000 farms scattered over the colony is channelled through open drains into the Arabian Sea, leading to massive environmental and heath-related hazards.

The project had remained on paper for the past 11 years, despite the estimated revenue from the sale of fertiliser and gas being enough for its feasibility. The idea of earning income from the sale of carbon credits attracted attention when Pakistan signed the Kyoto Protocol in 2005.

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a programme initiated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to explore cost-effective options to mitigate the impact of climate change. It is slowly helping industries here to improve their economies, and even pushing some to adopt unconventional ways to better their businesses.

At least one company, Pakarab Fertiliser Limited, has already started generating saleable carbon-offset credits by undertaking a multi-million dollar project to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Eight more projects are awaiting the approval of the UNFCCC.

Saadullah Ayaz, Head of the CDM Cell in Pakistan, said that many industries in the country can benefit from trading in carbon emission reduction (CER) or carbon credits. “The CDM has potential wherever energy is being used. Textile units can use it to bring more efficient boilers and shift their power plants from CO2 intensive and expensive oil to gas.”

Under the protocol of the first CDM commitment period, developed countries are bound to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by five per cent from the 1990 levels by 2012. However, Ayaz said that since most of these countries have failed to meet their targets, it was inevitable that the programme would extend up to 2017 and beyond.

The cost of decreasing emissions is often unfeasible in industrialised countries, leading them to buy carbon credits from developing nations as part of their commitment to reduce emissions that cause climate change.

In some businesses, the CDM is being viewed as a way of being more efficient as well as fulfilling corporate responsibility towards the environment.

Almoiz Bagasse Cogeneration Project, which will use the residue of sugarcane juice to generate 27 megawatts of power, has also applied for carbon credits.

“The processes used in the sugar industry are inefficient,” said Salman Shehryar, a business analyst at Almoiz. “There were a lot of technological and financial barriers in projects. However, we have moved on and are in the middle of installing turbines for the internal supply and export of electricity.”

Trading in carbon credits is also a way of stopping environmental damage in a developing country like Pakistan, which is suffering heavy financial losses arising from excessive pollution, said Naeem Qureshi, President National Forum for Environment and Health.

“Every year, around 30,000 people die in Pakistan due to pollution. More than half a million fall victim to severe dieses,” he said, adding that “in terms of money, the country incurs a loss of Rs80 billion annually as exports are barred, seafood production declines, and worker productivity suffers.”

There is a simple reason why Pakistan has not been able to capture a sizable part of the carbon credit market dominated by South Asian nations. “Our industrialists are not proactive in improving their factories,” said Omar Malik, a director at Carbon Services, a Lahore-based consultancy. “The only mentionable response has come from the cement industry.”

[Tarbela]

Hydro power project to be set up in private sector

The Hub Power Company Limited (Hubco), the country's leading independent power producer (IPP), has announced the setting up of a hydro power project.

A statement here Monday said that Hubco has acquired 75 percent controlling interests in Laraib Energy Limited (LARAIB) and will be setting up the first hydropower project in Pakistan by an IPP.

It said that the project is an 84MW, run of the river hydropower generating complex being set up about 8 KM downstream of Mangla Dam.

"Hubco has always believed in safeguarding the environment and its strong commitment to environment is reflected by continual improvement to the environmental management systems and procedures. Its existing 1,292 MW power station is compliant with World Bank guidelines on environment and the plant has been successfully accredited under ISO 14001 Standard for the last several years." stated Javed Mahmood, the Chief Executive of Hubco.

He further added that "Acquisition of the 84 MW renewable energy project goes further to demonstrate Hubco's commitment to safer environment. Implementation of the project will also contribute towards Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol."

The Laraib project has been under progress for a long time and Hubco has now acquired it with the objective of doing everything necessary to ensure its timely completion. Hubco plans to commence construction activity before the end of the year.

[bojangles]

‘Waste to energy’ project set to begin

ISLAMABAD: The first biomass electricity generation system in Pakistan, turning waste into energy, is set to start working soon at the Almoiz Industries Ltd in Dera Ismail Khan, Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) Chief Executive Officer Arif Alauddin announced on Tuesday.

With an investment of $11.34 million, the project will be able to generate 27 megawatts (MW) of electricity and consume 1,777 tonnes of biomass/ solid waste per day, the AEDB chief said.

He said that the AEDB had issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to Almoiz Industries for a waste-to-power generation plant in September 2005, with an installed capacity of 27MW, out of which 12MW of electricity would be used for running a sugar plant and 15MW would be sold to the national grid.

He added that the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between Almoiz Industries and the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) had already been concluded. He said that it was a 10-year agreement, which could be extended by the parties’ mutual consent. Alauddin stated that these systems were used worldwide to convert many types of waste into energy.

Besides adding to the nation’s power generation capacity, the system would also help ensure a cleaner environment, he added.

He said that the AEDB had planned extensively for the execution and implementation of the project with the private sector’s collaboration.

Apart from the Almoiz Industries, several other private investors were also planning to set up their projects in other civic centres of the country, he added.

[Tarbela]

China to fully finance Diamer Bhasha dam


ISLAMABAD: In a major development regarding the construction of Diamer Bhasha dam, China has agreed to completely finance the $8.5 billion project, sources in Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) told Daily Times on Thursday.

German Company Lemhyer has issued final draft of the dam in which the company has projected the cost of dam at $8.5 billion against the earlier projected cost of $6.5 billion in the year 2005. Government wants to start the construction work on Bhasha dam in the year 2009, sources added.

Pakistan has turned to China regarding the financing of the project after World Bank refused to add the project in the $1.4 billion aid for current financial year 2008-09. They further said that World Bank lending rates are higher and China would provide loan on lower rates. Pakistan had submitted the draft of detailed engineering design of the dam and in response China has agreed to provide financing for the said project. Sources informed that China has also great expertise in the working on big dams and it has expert labour force and machinery for such purposes.

Chinese government has offered Pakistan to provide skilled labour for the construction of the Bhasha dam as it has 17,000 skilled labourers who have worked on three Gorges Dams in china, which are generating 30,000MW electricity. They said that China has also assured that it would hire a company to provide financing to Pakistan for the construction of the dam. Earlier, Pakistan was looking at Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank.

Government has allocated Rs 200 million in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2008-09 for Bhasha dam.

The government has started work to develop infrastructure for communication link of Bhasha dam and in this regard the work on a Karakuram Highway to link Bhasha dam was also in progress. Karakuram Highway would be upgraded at cost of Rs 11.578 billion and government has released Rs 2 billion for the said project.

Final draft of Bhasha dam: German Company Lehmar has issued final draft of Diamer Bhasha dam which indicated that as many as 37,000 families would be affected following the construction of the dam. Lehmar has submitted final detailed engineering design to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in which it has recommended the government to set up nine model villages near Gilgat to accommodate the affected families. The company has also recommended allotting five Marlas for residence per family and six canals to one family for agriculture purpose.

According to the design, dam would generate 4500MW power and its water storage capacity would stand at 7.5 million acre feet (MAF) whereas dam would have four turbines and two powerhouses.

http://www.dailytime...5-8-2008_pg5_15

[SurvivoR]

Electricity Tariff raised by 31%
By Farid Masood • Sep 2nd, 2008 •

No instance in the world like we have, the tariff raised for a utility item, which is almost not available in Pakistan. The shortage of electricity has become the biggest problem for citizens of Pakistan. As the span and duration of its unavailability is increasing it is increasing different diseases in its consumers like high blood pressure etc.

This hot weather in Pakistan and especially this humid weather for last 6 weeks is unbearable with out a fan at-least. But load-shedding (power sharing) has been scheduled for almost 16 hours per day. Means electric power missing 2/3 time of a day. Really we are living in stone-age.

Our beloved Prime Minister, Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani told the nation that electric tariff has been increased on the demand of International Monitory Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). Suggestion for increase in tariff was around 60% but government has reduced it to 31%. When we can tell the nation that tariff was increase on the demand of IMF and World Bank then why we cant tell the nation that why they had asked us to increase tariff of electricity. We every time announce that there is a short fall of electricity by so and so Megawatts, but we don’t tell the nation that Pakistan State Oil (PSO)
is not providing fuel to government due to over draft and many power producers are either stopped their production of electricity or reduced their capacity utilization. Until the free of cost oil begged from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) reaches Pakistan, we cannot produce electricity.

Therefore, the raise in tariff should be taken back and prices of electrical unit (KWH) must be fixed to previous rates and tariff must not be revised until government is able to provide smooth electricity to its consumer.

http://www.pakspecta...f-raised-by-31/

[HORIZON]

Link

Bidding for 1,500 MW projects allowed

Thursday, September 11, 2008
ECC refuses to give Rs12 bn subsidy to textile sector

By Khalid Mustafa

ISLAMABAD: The government extended permission for holding ICB (international competitive bidding) for 1,000 MW thermal power and 5,00 MW rental power projects under the fast track scheme to overcome the ongoing electricity crisis.

The economic coordination committee (ECC) that was met with Finance Minister Naveed Qamar in the chair took this decision.Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani did not chair the meeting as he was busy with President Asif Ali Zardari at the Foreign Office. A top official, who attended the meeting, told The News that under package (A) of fast track scheme, the meeting allowed the ICB of 1,000 MW projects.

Under the package A, Pro Gas Company will install its power plant of 305 MW at Port Qasim that will be commissioned by the end of 2009. Cavilar Energy Company will also install 470 MW power plant at Port Qasim that will also start its operation by 2009-end. Likewise, Roba Energy will install 154 MW of electricity at the Lahore-Gujranwala Road in Punjab. However, under package (B), 500 MW of electricity would be injected into the KESC through two rental power houses.

The government has refused to provide Rs 12 billion subsidy to the textile sector under the head of research and development, saying the industry should first let the government know about the improvement in the sector against the same subsidy taken during previous years as R&D.

The ECC decided not to extend any sort of subsidy to the textile sector in the name of Research and Development this year as the industry did not improve its sector in the past and pocketed the whole subsidy given to them. Last year, the textile sector was given Rs 22 billion subsidy as R&D, but failed to improve their exports.

Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Nazr Mohammad Gondal followed the footprints of his predecessor Sikander Bosan, seeking the government intervention to stop dwindling prices of rice in the country.

He told the participants that the country had harvested a record six million tonnes of rice. Owing to this large produce, prices of rice have started going down in the country that has posed danger to growers. The minister urged the ECC to allow the TCP to procure half a million tonnes of Basmati rice to export it to Saudi Arabia. "This will help stabilise the rice prices."

However, the ECC asked Minfal to raise the issue in the EMC meeting to fix the minimum price of the commodity in the country and if the rice price tumble below the minimum price, then the TCP will be asked to procure rice for export to any country.

The ECC also gave permission to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock to start negotiations with Saudi Arabia for the import of Urea, valuing at $400 million. The meeting gave approval to gas allocation of 75 mmcfd (million cubic feet per day) to Ms Engro Energy Company.

The meeting also directed to review the gas allocation of 70mmcfd to Fatima fertiliser which had got the allocation for the plant to be commission in 2009. But Federal Minister of Port and Shipping Qamaruzzaman Kaira unfolded the ground reality, saying that the Fatima Fertiliser Company has so far erected the boundary wall only at the site, where the plant will be installed.

He informed the participants that within the boundary wall old machinery was lying. This all shows that the proposed plant would not be able to start by the end of 2009 for which the gas was allocated, rather the project would further delayed. He demanded that the allocated gas to Fatima Fertiliser be allotted to another power house to overcome the ongoing power crisis. The ECC asked the Ministry of Industries to this effect to look into the issue in detail and then submit a report in the next ECC meeting.

The meeting also taken back the allocation of 60 mmcfd earlier parked for two IPPs that include Tapal and Fauji Korangi and gave it to DHA Cogen Company and Aden Ventures for their power projects. The meeting took this decision because of gas sales agreement became null and void, as under the agreement Tapal and Fauji Korangi were to start their projects by March 2008.

Since the deadline elapsed so the agreement became null and void. This has forced the ECC meeting to reallocate the 60mmvfd gas to DHA Cogen Company and Aden Ventures for their power projects. And for this, the allocation would be kept at the disposal of the Ministry of Water and Power and Ministry of Industries for two years time.

The meeting also refused to extend letter of exclusivity to Pakistan Mashaal Energy for exclusive right to import LPG from Qatar on the ground that there are three companies which have already invested a lot to materialise their projects from importing LPG from Qatar so it is not possible to issue letter of exclusivity to Pakistan Mashaal Energy in this regard. However, the meeting constituted a committee that would look into the matter in detail and submit the report on the issue in the next ECC meeting.

[Tarbela]

PC-1 of Diamer-Bhasha Dam project approved

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved the PC-1 of Diamer Bhasha Dam project amounting to Rs116.7 billion for land acquisition and settlement. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Salman Farooqui chaired the meeting.

About 272-meter high Dimaer Bhasha Dam would be the highest Roller Compacted Concrete dam in the world with more than 100-kilometer long reservoir.

Diamer Bhasha Dam is a project of immense importance and will be the biggest project ever executed in any sector of the country.

Live storage capacity of the reservoir will be 6.4 million acre feet while 4,500 MW of electricity will be generated by the project.

Diamer Bhasha Dam would contribute more than 18,000 Giga watt-hours of electricity annually and go a long way to cope with the increasing demand of water and electric power in the country.

[Tarbela]

1,100 megawatts Kohala hydropower project:

ISLAMABAD (October 10 2008): A Chinese company, Sinohydro Corporation, has showed interest in investment in Pakistan by constructing 1100 MW Kohala Hydropower project. The company official said this during a meeting with Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf here on Thursday.

The company gave a detailed presentation to the minister about their ongoing projects and briefed him on the company's expertise in the construction of hydropower projects. Water and Power Minister said that the government would remove all bottlenecks to facilitate the foreign investors to invest in the water and power sector in Pakistan as there are great opportunities in this sector.

He said that the foreign investment in the hydel power generation will help to meet the country's future power requirements at affordable prices. The Minister also informed the company's delegation that Pakistan was embarking on construction of multipurpose dams, which would meet the power needs on a long term basis.

The delegation also informed that it is working on 156 hydropower projects in various countries of the world. The company is already constructing Gomal Zam dam, Khan Khawar hydropower project and Dubair Khawar hydropower project in Pakistan.

The Minister appreciated their interest of the company to invest in the hydel power generation and said that international consultants have been appointed for detailed engineering, designs and tendering documents for Kohala Hydropower project, which are in final stages.

He expressed the hope that the company would take opportunity to participate in the international competitive bidding to be held for Kohala Hydropower and various other water and power projects. He said that the government will provide complete assistance to the Chinese companies to invest in this sector. He stated that the confidence of the foreign investors would gain new heights and the economy would be made more stable through adopting rational policies to remove all hindrance and bottlenecks in this respect.

The pace of work on various ongoing Wapda projects being constructed by the Sinohydro Corporation was also discussed during the meeting. Adviser to Ministry, Chairman Wapda, Additional Secretary and other senior officials of the Ministry and Wapda were also present. Later, the Minister expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the tragic death of Chinese engineer, who died while working in the Gomal Zam dam project last month.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2008

[Tarbela]

305MW power unit to be set up at Port Qasim


ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Progas Pakistan and KUB Malaysia Berhad have won the bid to construct a 305 MW independent power project at Port Qasim.

According to Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) here on Monday, out of the 12 bids received, three bids of Progas Energy, Cavalier Energy and Ruba Energy Pakistan were approved for construction of three independent power projects with total power generating capacity of 929.06 MW and two bids of Karkey, Karadeniz Eledkrik Uretim AS and Walters Power International were approved for renting of two power generators of 418.802 MW capacity.—APP

[Mangla]

Pakistan’s first wind mill near completion


Wednesday, October 15, 2008
By Saad Hasan

KARACHI: A Turkish company is close to completing the first windmill in Pakistan, which is suffering from severe energy shortage and a ballooning current account deficit as it continues to spend billions of dollars on import of fuel oil to run thermal power plants.

Zorlu Enerji Pakistan has almost completed foundation work for five wind turbines in Jhimpir, 70km from Karachi, each capable of producing 1.2 megawatts of electricity. Though initially 6MW of electricity will be produced, the project will be expanded to 50MW in the next few years.

“We are looking forward to erecting the structures by the end of November,” said Osman Ipek, CEO Zorlu while talking to newsmen on Monday. “The potential is immense, wind density and speed is sufficient.”

It has been quite some time since a natural wind corridor from Gharo to Keti Bandar in Sindh province was discovered. This windmill will mark the first of many such projects in the pipeline. Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), a government body tasked with promoting indigenous sources of renewable energy, has successfully formulated a policy which ensures better return for investors.

Project Manager Yagmar Ozdemir said sale price of wind energy in Pakistan is better than other countries. “Internal rate of return of 15 per cent (annually) is very good. Other countries do not offer more than 12 per cent.”

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has awarded the company a tariff of 12.1 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) while the government has insured purchase of electricity. Getting a reasonable tariff has been a thorny issue in the establishment of wind mills and many companies including Zorlu have had to seek new tariff repeatedly.

The company is waiting to sign Energy Purchase Agreement (EPA) with National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), a power ministry’s arm which buys power from generation companies. Total cost of the project is $110 million. The company has also applied for carbon credits as it will replace emission of 10,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. Since creation of AEDB in 2003 a lot of companies had applied for wind power generation licenses, but not a single megawatt has been added to the national grid up till now. An AEDB official says reasons for lackluster progress are technical issues like Sindh government’s delay in leasing out land. “Agreement on 33,000 acres of land has just been issued to us,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sindh Alternate Energy Minister Asakri Taqvi on Tuesday warned that the government can cancel land lease if wind power projects failed to show progress in a given time. Speaking at a conference here, he said Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad has informed him during a recent briefing on wind power that land of those projects will be given to other interested wind mills. The minister said that the governor has expressed his disappointment over the delay in the implementation of wind power projects.

[Tarbela]

Chinese company to generate low cost hydel electricity in Pakistan

A prominent Chinese power generating entrepreneur has said that it will make investment to the tune of $ 1.7 billion for generating low cost hydel electricity in Pakistan.

The assurance for investment was given to President Asif Ali Zardari when a delegation of China International Water and Electricity Corporation (CWE) held a detailed meeting with him here on Friday.

“We just met with President Asif Ali Zardari and the talk focused on Bhasha and Kohala Dams”, said Deputy General Manager of CWE Jin Zheping, said talking to media after meeting the President at State Guest House in Beijing.

Jin said for Bhasha Dam CWE was developing concept with Chinese Hydel power generating groups and also with WAPDA as it is a gigantic project.

He said the MoU in this regard has already been signed. Jin pointed out that President has shown high vision on cooperative relations in economic sector between the two countries.

The CWE Deputy General Manager said the President has assured that he will particularly welcome Chinese entrepreneurs for investment in Pakistan.

President Zardari specially mentioned that he will steer China-Pakistan trade economic cooperation to encourage Chinese companies to invest and come to Pakistan for setting up of various projects.

CWE has been working on water resources and hydropower engineering for over 50 years. Over the years, the Company has been active in international contracting, foreign economic aid, international trading and manpower export sectors. CWE is recognized one of the major state-owned enterprises in China.

By the end of September 2007, the company has completed over 600 international contracts in more than 60 countries and regions.

[Tarbela]

US EXIM Bank assures support in power sector

WASHINGTON (October 24 2008): The US EXIM Bank has assured Pakistan of support for its power sector as the Pakistani delegation led by Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Salman Faraqi apprised the senior EXIM Bank officials about the challenges as well as the efforts the Pakistan government is making to resolve the power crisis.


They highlighted huge opportunities available in the energy sector and openness of the government to all modes of investment including public-private partnership. In this context, financing of Thar Coal Project, Gudu Power Project, small to medium hydro projects including Tarbela-IV, Munda Dam, Kurrum Tangi and large water reservoirs such as Basha Dam came under discussion.

"Clearly, the government is moving forward to tap huge indigenous potential in hydro and coal related power generation to resolve the power crisis on long-term basis," said the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.

The delegation proposed establishing an Infrastructure Financing Facility (IFF) for Pakistan to seek support of the US EXIM Bank. Given the robustness of the banking system with a very high presence of foreign banks, the proposed facility would help Pakistan meet its urgent needs in power and energy sector.

The senior management showed keen interest in various power projects as well as proposal for the Infrastructure Financing Facility (IFF).

They assured support of the EXIM to the power sector of Pakistan and it was agreed that the Government of Pakistan would initiate discussions with its banking sector regarding the specific proposal and prepare a policy framework for further negotiations with the EXIM Bank. In the meantime, the EXIM Bank would carry out internal discussions.