ISLAMABAD: The government has earmarked Rs72,255.424 million for various ongoing and new power projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next fiscal year 2018-19 under the new budget announced on Friday.
According to the budgetary documents, an amount of Rs65,099.054 million has been earmarked for 47 ongoing hydel projects while Rs7,156 million have been assigned for 18 new schemes under the PSDP 2018-19.
For ongoing schemes, the government has specified Rs5,100 million for the 500 KV Islamabad West project, Rs3000 million for 500 KV Faisalabad New project, Rs2,100 million for 220 kV Mirpur Khas project, Rs3,000 million for construction of 500 KV Transmission Line (Guddu), Rs1,500 million for extension of existing grid stations, Rs27,108.481 million for installation of 2×600 MW coal fired power project (Jamshoro), Rs1,100 million for interconnection of scheme for import of power from CASA-1000, Rs1466.130 million for power distribution enhancement project (LESCO) and a sum of Rs1,000 million for the reinforcement of existing 220 kV Guddu-Uch- Sibi single circuit transmission.
For new schemes under the PSDP, a sum of Rs2,000 million has been allocated for interconnection of isolated Makran network at Bisma, Rs1000 million evacuation of power from Dasu HPP stage-1 and Rs550 million for evacuation of power from Tarbela 5th extension project.
As per annual plan 2018-19, the overall energy supply situation has improved. However, to bridge the energy demand-supply gap, a further 6,735MW generation capacity is expected to be added in the National Grid which includes 50 per cent addition from renewable energy and about 2,000MW imported coal-based power plants under CPEC during 2017-18. Meanwhile, a further 1 billion cubic feet gas per day through the import of LNG added in the sui gas systems.
For evacuation of additional power generation, the NTDC transmission system has been strengthened by adding 2,700MVA and 4,340 MVA on 500 KV and 220 KV network respectively. Moreover, to overcome the load of oil transportation on the roads a techno-economic feasibility of white oil pipeline project envisaging 427km pipeline from Sheikhopura to Peshawar has been completed. Meanwhile, work on various blocks at Thar is being carried out by various companies.
