February 14, 2007	Wednesday	Muharram 25, 1428

KARACHI, Feb 13: The Sindh government plans to explore hydel source as one of the many alternate energy sources in the province indicated in a feasibility done as far back as decade of late 80s by German engineers.

Preparations are afoot to update this feasibility with a fresh survey to be done by experts to be engaged by the Sindh Power Development Cell.

The German feasibility identified five perennial canals in Sindh that have many locations of waterfall to generate electric power. These are canals on either side of Guddu Barrage, the Nara and Rohri Canal of Sukkur Barrage and the Gujju Canal that brings water to Karachi round the year. In addition, there is a natural Gaj waterfall near Dadu, the home-town of the Federal Power and Irrigation Minister, Mr Liaquat Jatoi.

Well-placed sources in Sindh government said Mr Jatoi is keen to explore the potential of hydel power generation at these spots in Sindh and particularly near his home-town Dadu, but is handicapped because of the limited capacity of the province to take up such projects.

The cell was set up in 2004 and has since remained a one-room and virtually a back room office of the Sindh Irrigation Department. It has rudimentary staff, headed by a deputy secretary of grade 18. But it has a full-time minister, Mr Altaf Unar, while his cabinet colleague, Mr Nadir Akmal Leghari, looks after the Irrigation Department — one of the most sought after green pasture that offers unlimited opportunities — to all those who come to serve here at various positions. Landlords in Sindh are chronic defaulters of water bills and actual recovery is not even one-tenth of that is being spent on irrigation water distribution system.

The cell has been given Rs28 million to engage experts for carrying out fresh feasibilities of hydel power projects in Sindh. Potential investors will be asked to bid only after the feasibilities are carried out and specific locations of waterfall are identified.

“We can issue licences for projects up to 50 megawatt power generation,’’ one of the sources disclosed. The investor will have the choice to sell this power to local distributor which in case of Sindh would be Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) or Wapda. But investor can also explore transmitting and distributing this power to adjoining villages or a small town provided he sets up a small distribution and transmission network and is able to find consumers who pay bills regularly.

The investor may also be given the choice of setting up a hybrid power generation plant. It is hydel-based power plant, supported by a gas-based or thermal plant, to keep generation going when water flow may get low or scarce in certain period of time.

The cell also plans to carry out feasibility for wind, solar, coal and gas-based electric power generation projects up to 50 megawatt. The idea is to decentralise electric power generation, transmission and distribution and get away from the over-centralised corrupt system of Wapda.

While the entire coastal belt from Karachi to Thatta and Badin is said to be ideal for wind-generation plants, there are more than half a dozen districts where solar-based plants can be established.

“These projects may be capital intensive but by all means are feasible if consumers pay their bills regularly.The rich landlords do not pay water charges, taxes on their agricultural income, electricity bills and all other government levies. But the small farmers, if empowered and given opportunities to prosper will pay taxes and bills is the expectation.

However, the cell is expected to appoint a full time project director, plus a few others by June next. In case, no director is appointed, the allocated funds will lapse.

Balochistan is said to have successfully set up a few hybrid power projects in some parts but is facing recovery of bills problems from consumers.