ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Pakistan has identified the potential of generating 50,000-mw wind-power and decided to generate five per cent of the total energy requirement through wind-power in the next 5-10 years. This was decided at a meeting presided over by Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi on Wednesday.

Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) Chairman Air Marshal Shahid Hamid, while giving a presentation, said 27 international companies have been issued letters of interest to invest in the wind-power generation sector.

The AEDB chairman said the wind-power projects would start with immediate effect with the setting up of a 100-mw project at Gharo, Keti Bundar near Karachi.

The implementation of the project, he said, would lead to achieving the goal of sharing five per cent of the power generation through alternate energy resources. He said there was a potential of producing around 50,000 mw of electricity through wind resources. All necessary studies and site investigations had been conducted, he added.

The meeting was informed that 3,500 acres of land had been made available by the Sindh government including 2,500 acres in Keti Bander area and additional 8,000 acres were being procured.

He said arrangements were also being made for turbine manufacturing and manufacturers were ready for shipment by the year’s end. The turbines were likely to start generation by June 2006.

He said investors, who have been issued letters of interest, were interested in the projects.

The minister directed Wapda and National Transmission and Dispatch Company to extend their full support to the AEDB for implementation of the 100-mw wind-power generation project at Gharo.

He also directed the AEDB to immediately proceed accordingly to implement the project within the next two to three months. The minister emphasized the timely implementation of the project which would help meet the energy needs of the country.

He promised to remove all bottlenecks to attract foreign investors particularly in the emerging wind-power generation.

He said Wapda would purchase all the wind-power from the investors through its transmission line system.