Sindh plans grid company under public-private partnership

KARACHI: Sindh government on Wednesday announced to establish its own grid company under public-private partnership mode, which will work to evacuate clean electricity being generated in the country’s only wind corridor in Thatta-Jhimpir area of the province.

Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh made the announcement while speaking at the inauguration of 17th World Wind Energy Conference 2018. The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) organised the three-day conference with the theme “Re-energising the developing world”.

Shaikh said the proposed grid company would serve as the cornerstone of the provincial government’s energy policy being pursued to harness the massive potential the province has to produce clean electricity from its untapped renewable resources of power generation.

The provincial minister said Sindh government would establish its own grid company in pursuance of the same policy spirit, which was earlier utilised to set up its own transmission and dispatch company for transmitting electricity from 100 megawatts of Nooriabad power plant, which is the provincial government’s first own power plant under public-private partnership mode, to Karachi.

Shaikh said the provincial government reserved 60,000 acres land in the province to develop renewable energy projects, “showing well its outstanding commitment to generate electricity using the alternative resources”.

Total 23 wind energy projects have already started functioning in Gharo-Jhimpir corridor, while another 30 to 40 projects are under different stages of completion.

The energy minister hoped that the federal government would readily grant permission to the upcoming wind energy projects of the province.

The minister further said Sindh government would soon launch a $100 million solar power project in the province with the assistance of the World Bank as this would benefit the residents of off-grid areas in rural areas.

Shaikh said renewable energy generation accounts for mere five percent of the national energy mix.

“Sindh government will do whatever it can do best and will fight for your cause to promote utilisation of clean generation resources in the country,” he added.

WWEA President Peter Rae hoped that the 17th edition of the world wind energy conference would go a long way to explore the potential of renewable energy resources globally to ensure a sustainable and better world for people.

WWEA Vice President Shahid Hamid said the transmission and distribution system should be given to private sector to increase clean power generation.

Hamid said promotion of alternative power resources is compulsory to promote the cause of clean and green Pakistan, “which is also the primary vision of the present federal government”.

Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) Chief Executive Officer Amjad Ali Awan said wind energy projects commissioned in Gharo-Jhimpir wind corridor are generating 1,184 megawatts of clean electricity.

Awan said the present government should actively pursue the goal to massively expand the renewable power sector, while showing complete ownership and commitment to energy security.

AEDB chief executive said a long-term, robust, and consistent policy should be adopted that should remain unchanged despite regime change as such a policy would provide the requisite enabling framework for the purpose.

Sindh Energy Secretary Musaddiq Ahmed Khan said it is high time for Pakistan to utilise the option of power generation through the means of alternative energy resources as it ensures lower tariffs for consumers and saves precious foreign exchange reserves.

Khan said it is also right time for the prospective investors to introduce options of alternative power generation for the benefit of residents of off-grid areas.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director in Pakistan Xiaohong Yang informed the audience about massive contribution and funding being provided by the ADB to beef up energy sector as this would also entail support to alternative energy projects being established in the country.