February 23, 2007	Friday	Safar 5, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $800 million loan between 2007 and 2016 for improving investment in the power transmission sector.

This was stated by director-general of the ADB’s Central and West Asia Department Juan Miranda in a meeting with Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi here on Thursday.

Mr Miranda, who is leading a six-member delegation, said the bank would provide technical and financial support for major water and power sector projects. The assistance would be provided in upgradation of power distribution system and transmission lines to increase system efficiency and stable supply of electricity to consumers besides major rehabilitation and infrastructure projects in the water sector.

Mr Jatoi urged the bank to play an active role in financing Diamer-Basha dam and other major water projects, including the next phase of the flood protection programme.

He said that Pakistan was focussing on alternative energy projects like wind power, solar energy and coal-based generation of electricity and the ADB could contribute a lot in such projects.

He said Pakistan’s power sector was being reformed and restructured with the full support of the Asian Development Bank.

In order to achieve the economic growth targets set by the government, he said, the power sector needed to increase its generation capacity, efficiency and coverage. He stressed the need for coordinated meetings with donors to expedite various projects.

Mr Miranda offered technical and financial assistance and said that in the first phase, the ADB would focus on financial assistance for 19 sub-projects aimed at extension, augmentation and expansion of existing 220KV and 500KV sub-stations and construction of associated transmission lines for system stability.

In the second phase, 11 sub-projects, including new and extension, augmentation and expansion of the existing 220KV and 500KV sub-stations and construction of associated transmission lines had been prepared by the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC).

The bank also agreed to finance a 10-megawatt pilot wind power plant and technical assistance for overall studies related to wind potential in the country.