KARACHI, June 19: The Water and Power Development Authority has denied an allegation levelled by a senior official of the Sindh government that Wapda obstructed the setting up of a coal-based thermal power plant in Thar.

Disputing a statement made by Additional Chief Secretary of Sindh at a post-budget press conference that the Chinese company Shenhua backed out from investing in the Thar plant after Wapda refused to accept 5.7 cents a unit tariff, a faxed message from a Wapda spokesman said: “Wapda has always been striving for implementing the least cost power generation schemes within the affordability of the consumers.” The spokesman asserted that Wapda “never showed unreasonable or negative stand towards any power project proposal.”