KARACHI, July 19: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that the foundation stone of a power plant for generation of 35MW electricity would be laid on Aug 14.
The power plant would be set up on 100 per cent foreign investment, he said while talking to a delegation of Chinese IPPR Engineering Company, led by its Vice-President Li Wei Cheng, at the KWSB office on Wednesday. KWSB Managing Director Brig Iftikhar Hyder, Deputy Managing Director (Planning) Shahid Saleem and other officials were also present on the occasion.
It was pointed out that establishment of the power generation plant would prove advantageous to the KWSB as the water supply position would improve considerably with minimum chances of loadshedding at its pumping stations. Besides, the KWSB would be provided electricity at cheaper rate.
At present, the KWSB is buying electricity from the KESC at Rs5 per KV while after the installation of the power plant the water board will be supplied electricity at Rs4 per KV for the first 15 years. Afterwards, the water board would get electricity at the rate of Rs3.75 per KV for 10 years, which would save Rs245 million of the KWSB without investing any capital in the project. After 25 years, the gas operated plant would be handed over to the KWSB, the meeting was informed.
Mustafa Kamal said that the company should be provided all required facilities which in turn would not only result in power saving but also contribute to overcome power shortage in the metropolis.It may be mentioned that the water board had sought offers for the power generation plant on BOT basis in December 2002. Seven companies gave their offers. The NESPAK was appointed as consultant for the project in January 2005 and guidelines were issued thereof.
Soon after taking over as nazim, Mustafa Kamal issued directive for speeding up the work on this project and the KWSB selected the offer of Chinese company among all others keeping in view the project economics in the light of guidelines given.
At present, though the KWSB requires 28MW power supply, the approval for setting up a 35MW power plant had been given keeping in view all future needs.—APP
