KARACHI, Aug 29: The United Arab Emirates government will be shortly approached to ensure an early delivery of 320-megawatt power plants which were gifted to Pakistan some time back.

This was stated by the federal minister for water and power, Liaquat Ali Jatoi, at a meeting in his camp office here on Monday, says a press release issued by the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation.

Earlier this month, the federal minister had announced that installation of at least three power plants capable of generating over 730 megawatts on a daily basis would begin next year.

It was also decided that the KESC would install a 350-megawatt power plant in Korangi. Besides, a 148-megawatt power plant, which would become operational within 15 months, would be set up by a foreign company, Western Electric. One of the power plants, gifted by the United Arab Emirates to Pakistan, would be installed in Karachi. The plant, which would be set up in the city by the ministry of water and power, would generate 240 megawatts of electricity.

Mr Jatoi said that five units of 18 megawatts each would be added to the network of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda). He added that eight units of 30 megawatts each would be installed in the KESC system, enabling the power utility to have an additional supply of 240 megawatts.

The chairman of the National Transmission and Distribution Company briefed the participants of the meeting about work on the long-awaited KESC-Hubco link. He said that 70 per cent of civil works had been done, adding that efforts were being made to complete the project ahead of schedule.

Sources in the KESC told Dawn that the Wapda network had 1,500 megawatts of surplus electricity. “But the reason why it cannot give more electricity to the KESC than it does at the moment is that all KESC transmission lines are overloaded. Power woes of Karachi will come to an end as soon as a fresh link is established between Wapda and the KESC,” they explained, adding that currently the KESC-Wapda link could not take more than 575 megawatts.

The federal minister told the participants of the meeting that he, along with KESC managing director, Brig Tariq Saddozai, would visit the site in the first week of October.

He also asked the KESC to complete tariff negotiations with Western Electric without delay so that a tariff petition could be submitted to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.

The minister said that at least 55 MMCFD natural gas would be required for the 350-megawatt combined cycle power station to be established at the Korangi thermal power station. He added that the ministry concerned would be shortly approached with a request for the required amount of natural gas on a regular basis.

SHUTDOWN: The KESC is carrying out system improvement work in Malir, a KESC release said here on Monday, adds PPI.