Ensuring uninterrupted power: Up to Rs20b being invested in Pesco

PESHAWAR: An amount of Rs15 to 20 billion will be invested in the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) to provide uninterrupted power supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly Peshawar.

Various projects, including establishment of new grid stations, installation of new power transmission lines and bifurcation of feeders would be launched. This was told at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Monday here at Chief Minister Secretariat Peshawar, said an official handout.

Federal Minister for Energy and Power Umar Ayub, Special Assistants to Prime Minister Arbab Shahzad, Qasim Shahzad, Nadeem Babar, Advisor to CM on Energy Himayatullah, Special Assistant to CM for Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash, MNA Arbab Sher Ali, Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, relevant federal and provincial secretaries, and officials of the Pesco and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited attended the meeting. The participants were informed that the Project Management Unit having representation of the provincial government would be set up in Pesco to ensure timely execution of power transmission projects.

The Pesco officials were directed to devise a comprehensive plan for implementation of projects and submit it to the relevant forum for approval within two weeks. I

t was agreed to provide gas and electricity to the newly completed projects of the provincial government, including hospitals, schools and newly established industries. The meeting was told that substantial progress had been made on various projects, including 132 KV grid stations of the Warsak Road and Regi Model Town while work on Wazirbagh grid station and bifurcation of feeders and installation of aerial bundled cable would be completed by the end of the current financial year. The participants were briefed on the development projects in the gas sector, it was told that uplift projects worth Rs 19 billion had been approved for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the current financial year, adding that existing gas supply infrastructure was being upgraded.

In Karak district, an investment of 9 billion is being made in different projects while the establishment of a safety management system has been approved to provide gas to the local population. Meanwhile, a meeting to review preparations for the upcoming 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was held here at the Chief Minister Secretariat, chaired by the chief minister. The meeting was also attended by Chairman CPEC Authority retired Lt-General Asim Saleem Bajwa. The meeting discussed in detail the proposed mega projects of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in energy & power, tourism, agriculture, road, industry and social sectors to be presented to the 10th JCC meeting for consideration.

These proposed projects include Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, Chashma Right Bank Canal, Swat Expressway Phase 2, Dir Expressway, Chakdara to Chitral Expressway, Chitral to Shandur Road, Kumrat Cable Car, Peshawar Circular Rail, Daraban Economic Zone, Mori Kari Hydel Power Project, 500 KV transmission line from Chital to Chakdara, etc.