01 October 2004	Friday	15 Shaban 1425

LAHORE, Sept 30: Nine letters of intent (LoIs) have been issued for the establishment of nine power plants, including two hydel power plants, to help bridge the gap between demand and generation of electricity.

"Of these, six including two hydel power plants, are planned within the Wapda system while three will be under Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC)," Member Power (Wapda) Muhammad Anwar Khalid told a news conference here on Thursday.

He said combined cycle gas-fired power plants were being established at Balloki and Faisalabad. Mr Khalid said the United Arab Emirates had gifted a gas-fired power plant to Pakistan. He said it would be bifurcated into two plants one each in Lahore and Karachi.

This plant with sustainability of 35 years with renewable features has lapsed 15 years life in Mina Zayed. It converts gas into power and produces very low-cost electricity.

Responding to a question, the member power said Wapda was ready to buy power from sugar mills at a rate of three cents per kwh. However, he regretted that the tariff demanded by the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association for the electricity produced through co-generation at the mills as a bye-product was very high. -APP