‘General Electric can help generate more electricty’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan can add 600 megawatt electricity to the national grid by using the latest technology in order to reduce power outages in the country, Sarim Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer, General Electric in Pakistan, told The News in an interview.

“Yes, Pakistan can add 600MW electricity by using latest technology in existing as well as upcoming power plants,” he said.

He said that plans were underway to invest $50 million in three major areas, including clean energy, transport, and training centres. He said under the clean energy plan, 200MW would be installed through joint ventures.

Sheikh said GE was providing equipment for one/third of the total 57 gas turbines, apart from various equipments for hydel and LNG projects. The efficiency, he said, was quite low in case of power sector as it stood at just 35 to 36 percent in case of old plants while this efficiency improved to 60 percent in case of new plants where equipments of GE were installed. “Guddu power plant’s efficiency now stands at around 57 percent,” he added.

Investments would also be made in the transport sector, he said, adding that GE would be providing locomotives to Pakistan Railways. “The first batch would reach Pakistan by December 2016 for testing purposes,” he said.

He said that 4500HP (horse power) locomotives with digital equipments would be provided to Pakistan, and technological track solutions, that did not need huge investments, were also available.

“The 1,676mm gauge 4500HP fully assembled locomotives will be supplied from the US, with deliveries scheduled to run from December 2016 to April 2017.

They would cost Rs500m each, including taxes, and are expected to pay for themselves within three years,” Sheikh said.

It is relevant to mention here that the country’s experience for importing locomotives and engines from China had failed to achieve the desired results in the past.

Apart from locomotives, Sarim said that GE had arranged financing for PIA to get three planes on lease, whereas more such arrangements could be managed for the country’s airline.

He said the financing plan in collaboration with US Exim Bank and IDB was also underway to arrange for $125 million for engineering services.

GE would also be establishing training centres by joining hands with one leading university of the country, Sheikh revealed. “Our major thrust is to bring digitalisation to Pakistan for bringing improvements in different sectors of the economy,” he added.