August 31, 2006	Thursday	Sha'aban 6, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: The target set for electrification of about 400 villages in Sindh and Balochistan under the Roshan Pakistan Programme is unlikely to be achieved during the current year owing to non-allocation of funds for wind energy by the federal government, it is learnt.

Chairman Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) Shahid Hamid told a meeting on Wednesday that estimates for electrification of 400 villages (100 in Sindh and 300 in Balochistan) with alternate energy in consultation with the provincial governments had been approved. However, these schemes could not be implemented due to shortage of funds, a participant quoted the AEDB chief as telling the meeting.

Minister for Water and Power Liaqat Ali Jatoi presided over the meeting that was also attended by representatives of the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), Wapda and the ministry of water and power.

The meeting asked the AEDB to submit draft power purchase agreement (PPA) in 10 days for approval by the prime minister to expedite alternate energy projects. The minister directed Wapda to expedite the process of constructing transmission lines and grid stations within the prescribed time to procure energy from wind projects.

The government, he said, had decided to use all alternate options to generate electricity to meet its demand, growing at the rate of 10 to 12 per cent per year. He said the government would take initiatives to expedite development of alternate sources of energy to produce cheaper electricity.

Mr Jatio also highlighted the government’s policy of utilisation of renewable resources and said that all the energy generated with wind and solar power would be purchased from the investors and synchronised into the system. He said it was government’s priority to electrify remote village through wind and solar energy because it was economically difficult to link them with the national grid.

He assured the AEDB to personally take up the matter with the president and the prime minister for allocation of the required funds for the project.

Earlier, in his presentation, Chairman AEDB Air Marshal Shahid Hamid informed the meetings that 62 LoIs had been issued for 50 MW each and 17,909 acres land had been sub-leased to 13 investors in Sindh. He said these 13 companies had completed all the formalities and were ready to sign PPAs to put up their projects after tariff determination by Nepra.

He said the baseline survey and on-site installation and commissioning of solar homes systems had been prepared. The meeting was further informed that 100 houses had been electrified with solar energy in each of the four provinces.

It was also informed that equipment design, fabrication of equipment and survey of villages had been completed in the pilot project of bio-diesel production plant. Sites had been identified and contracts awarded for solar thermal power plants, the chairman further informed the meeting.