The national grid is set to see an addition of 7,500 megawatts of private power projects in 2017-18 according to the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB). The PPIB stated that work on 31 independent power projects (IPPs) having cumulative capacity of 19,000 megawatts is being carrie out and will utilize fuels like R-LNG and Coal. This will bring a major improvement to the overall fuel mix in the country alongside a reduction in costs and ensure availability of electricity at a reasonable tariff.
PPIB also mentioned that the private sector has been involved in the transmission side and the first line will be laid by end of 2019. PPIB is the government representative for private sector investment in the power sector and holds responsibility for the execution of major power and transmission line projects coming under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). All this generational capacity being added to the national grid would require an improved transmission and distribution network, PPIB added.
Work on the 878 km Matiari-Lahore transmission line has also been initiated to transmit power from coal projects in southern areas of the country where they are under construction. “LoI has also been issued to this mega project, which is targeted to be completed by the end of 2019,” PPIB said.
The projects under PPIB that have achieved a financial close and are under construction stand as follows: 147MW Patrind, 720MW Karot, 102MW Gulpur and 870MW Sukki Kinari hydropower projects. Coal-based projects include the 1,320MW plant in Qadarabad, 1,320MW in Sahiwal, 1,320MW at Port Qasim, 330MW at Hub and 660MW at Thar Block II. The projects under PPIB that are in advanced stages of completion are Haveli Bahadur Shah 1230MW, Balloki 1223MW and Bhikki 1180MW.
Since 1994, PPIB has completed 31 power projects having a cumulative capacity of 9000MW which has brought foreign investment to the tune of $10b from countries like the USA, UAE, United Kingdom, Germany etc.
