Independent power producers’ mode set for financing China Sunec, Salt Range, Zonergy plants

Though Pakistan is experiencing electricity shortage, however, three energy projects have been shelved, one of 1250 megawatts proposed to completed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) according to official documents.

Pakistan Today disclosed three energy projects – China Sunec wind power generation, coal-based Salt Range power plant and Zonergy solar farm project – have been shelved. Total installed capacity of the shelved projects was 1250 megawatts while cost estimated at $2227 and IPPs (independent power producers) mode was fixed for the financing.

According to the documents, aggregate installed capacity of the China Sunec wind farm was 50mw, while an estimated cost of $125m. Similarly, estimated the cost of the coal-based Salt Range project was $800m with an installed capacity of 300mw including mining. The installed capacity of the Zonergy solar project was 900mw with estimated cost of $1,302m.

According to the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), electricity demand has pushed to 24,577 megawatts, while the Ministry of Water and Power has fixed electricity quotas for the power distributing companies (DISCOs) based on demand. The NTDC system has still been impossible to endure the load of such huge difference between power generation and its demand.

Water and Power Ministry has presented a shortfall of 2,000 to 4,000 megawatts based on demand. Although, Water and Power Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Friday said that the electricity generation has increased to 18,562 megawatts, so far, he had faced the prime minister over presenting a rosy picture of country’s energy state in recent meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE).

The government has not yet injected around 4,400mw in the system since 2013 and from April 2017 onward to December 2017, about 6,010mw would be added to the system subject to successful testing. The government says that there will be no more unscheduled power outages as the shutdown power plants because of annual maintenance will be operational soon.