ISLAMABAD, May 6: The Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) has decided to move swiftly with its alternate power production plans in Karachi to ease to some extent the city's crisis-like situation.

This was decided at a meeting presided over by AEDB chief Air Marshal (retd) Shahid Hamid and attended among others by managing director of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) Brig Tariq Saddozai on Wednesday.

"I was told that the city alone is in short supply of around 1,000 megawatt while it will take at least two to three years to get the KESC linked to the Hubco power plant. This presents a bleak picture of power situation in this biggest city of the country," Air Marshal Hamid said.

He said a presentation was made by Brigadier Dr Nasim A. Khan to the KESC on the opportunities and viability of exploiting the alternate sources of energy and how quickly it could be made available and linked to the KESC network.

"The AEDB may not be able to meet the big demand of KESC but if asked we can at least contribute our share to minimise the burden and provide some breathing space over a much short span of time," Mr Hamid said.

He said that two wind mills would be received very soon which would be installed at the Pak Steel and Kannup on an experimental basis. "These wind mills have a capacity of 760kw to 1.4mw power generation," he said.