ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi has said that renewable energy policy lays down very liberal incentives to attract investment to put Pakistan on the renewable energy map of the world.

He stated this while chairing a high-level meeting to review the progress of the alternative energy projects in the country here on Wednesday.

An official announcement issued here said besides thermal projects, Pakistan was focusing on alternative energy projects, such as wind-power, solar energy, coal-based generation and hydel power to meet the growing demand of 10 to 12 per cent annually. He also stressed the need for coordinated efforts to expedite the pace of progress of projects to provide cheap energy to consumers.

In a detailed presentation, given by the chairman of Alternative Energy Development Board, Air Marshal (retd) Shahid Hamid informed the meeting about the present status of wind-power projects and apprised the meeting that so far 88 Letters of Intent (LoIs) have been issued for 50MW wind-power project each; and 23,645 acres has been subleased to 15 investors while survey and demarcation of another 28,876 acres in Jhimpir is in progress.

He further apprised the meeting that the board had also issued LOIs to five investors for a total of 220MW power at Paharpur, D. I. Khan (20MW), at Landhi, Bin Qasim, Korangi (50MW), at Sahiwal ( 50MW), at Faisalabad (50MW) and at Lahore, Shiekhupura / Shahdara (50MW) while feasibility of 10 major cities is under progress to evaluate exact potential in each city. Nepra has also approved tariff for two power companies, he added.

The meeting also decided to take up the issue of issuance of lease deeds for power projects and the government of Sindh and the minister would soon hold meetings to expedite this issue amicably.

It was also decided that Implementation Agreement (IA), Power Purchase Agreements would be finalised immediately in line with policy and ECC decisions.