News
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
‘Pakistan not utilising full hydro potential’KARACHI: Pakistan’s hydro potential is estimated at 40,000 megawatts (MW) and yet only 16 percent of this potential is currently being utilised. In the province of Sindh, there are no hydel-projects either in the public or private sectors, said Sindh Power Department Secretary Rabiya Javeri Agha at a pre-bid conference held to engage consultants for hydro power general projects in the province. She was presiding over a well-attended gathering of experts in the field as well as representatives of public-private partnership (PPP) unit and interested pre-qualified firms, both nationally and internationally. In order to bridge the substantial energy gap between demand and supply in the country, the Sindh Power Department has started working in PPP mode. The intent is to engage expert consultants to develop feasibility studies so that suitable sites can be located to explore river hydel-projects. At present power generation in Pakistan is based primarily on thermal generation, which includes furnace oil and natural gas, but it is time that the proportion should change in favour of cleaner renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar. The wind corridor at Gharo itself had been identified with an actual potential of some 50,000 MW, she said. According to the Hydel Power Policy 1995 and the Power Policy 2002, the Sindh government has also been in the process of developing a separate power policy as well. The Sindh Power Development Board will have a one window operation to help facilitate investment in the power sector and to encourage hyrdo-power generation. staff report
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk