CASA-1000: Pakistan initiates talks for electricity export to Central Asia

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has initiated talks for export of electricity to Central Asian States such as Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan by using open access clause which is already part of Master Agreement under CASA-1000 project.

According to a relevant senior official of Power Division, the experts of National Transmission Dispatch Company (NTDC) on behalf of Pakistan last week held crucial dialogue in Dubai with experts of Tajikistan on export of electricity.

Earlier, Pakistan formally asked Tajikistan to invoke the open access clause in the agreement under CASA-1000 project paving way for two-way trade of electricity, as under the existing deal, Pakistan is bound to import 1000MW electricity per day at 9.50 cents per unit in summer season from May to October once this project comes into stream. And more importantly, Pakistan will also not bear electricity transit loss in Afghanistan in case of any subversive activity.

Pakistan is now surplus in electricity and wants to export it to the Kyrgyz republic, Tajikistan and Afghanistan in the winter season by using the same structure of CASA project.

Pakistan, the official said, by using the open clause, also aspires to export electricity to the countries which will provide to Pakistan electricity in summer season under CASA-1000. The project will be completed with the cost of $1.17 billion and apart from transmission line, converter stations will be constructed each in Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.