Two wind power plants of 110MW inaugurated in Jhimpir

KARACHI: Federal Power Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan inaugurated two new wind energy projects set in Jhimpir, Thatta District, Sindh, with an aim to produce cheaper and clean electricity through indigenous energy sources, a statement said on Wednesday.

The launched projects include a 60 megawatts (MWs) plant of Metro Wind Power Limited and a 50 MWs renewable project of Gul Ahmed Electric Limited.

Speaking on the occasion, the power minister said the Gharo-Jhimpir corridor being a site of several wind power plants represented the energy future of the country that stands for maximum utilisation of indigenous power resources for clean electricity production.

“Every new wind power project launched in the corridor is a step forward towards achieving the national goal of producing cheaper and clean electricity through indigenous energy sources,” he said.

The govt official informed that launching of wind power plants was in line with the energy policy of the government, having the compulsory provision that any new generation capacity to be installed in the country shouldn’t consume imported fuels for the protection of the environment.

He was of the view that the power plants would also go a long way in slashing electricity bills as their tariff was less than the electricity tariff being charged from the general consumers.

Dastgir assured the audience that the government would do its best to facilitate launching of new wind energy projects across the country by expanding the national transmission capacity as it required greater production of clean electricity for powering the economic growth.

The power minister said the power production on the basis of expensive imported fuels would gradually be phased out in the country and instead, there would be greater reliance on wind, solar, nuclear, and hydro resources for clean electricity generation, he added.

The government had stood fully committed to introducing advanced technology for consuming Thar coal for energy production so that there should be minimal harm to the environment, according to the minister.

Also speaking on the occasion, the chief of the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), Shah Jahan Mirza, assured the audience that AEDB had been doing its best to act as the one-window facility for prospective investors who wanted to launch clean energy projects in the country.

He said the AEDB had been helping out incoming energy projects to play its due part in achieving the vision of the government that stands for 60 percent power production in the country through clean energy sources by the year 2030.

Sarah Mooney, British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, said a transition towards clean energy was essential for Pakistan to build back better after the devastating floods that affected around 33 million people.

“The UK, in line with its COP-27 commitments, is playing a leading role in providing investment and expertise to enable Pakistan to shift towards a greener and climate-resilient economy,” she said, adding that the UK would continue to seek out new opportunities to facilitate similar energy projects moving forward.