SUKKUR, Dec 24 The Sukkur Thermal Power Station, defunct since 2000 after a blast in one of its boilers claimed four lives, would be revived soon with the help of a private company, sources in the power station disclosed on Wednesday.

The Pakistan Electrom Limited (PEL) had expressed interest in reviving and upgrading the power station on equity-based share with Wapda, they said.

The power station was commissioned in 1965 with aid provided by Canadian government. It had two units, producing 12.5 megawatts each. Later, two more units of 12.5 MW each were added to the power station in 1967, increasing its generation capacity from 25 MW to 50 MW.

The power station used to produce enough electricity not only for Sukkur and its adjoining areas and but also for other areas. It ran without any major problem up till 2000 when one of its boilers busted and it was closed down.

The accident claimed four lives.

The resident engineer of the power station Ghulam Qadir Bughio said the power station resumed operation on trial basis after necessary repairs in 2005 but it had to be closed down again after its pipeline supplying gas to boilers developed leaks at several places.

Besides, other machinery had also developed serious faults over time, therefore, the power station was once again declared defunct, he said.

He said the PEL company had expressed interest in rehabilitating the power station and expressed the hope it would be handed over to it after resolution of some problems.

The company planned to install three units, producing 40 MW each and contributing 120 MW to national grid after its revival, he said.

He said that after entering into agreement with the Wapda, the company would get the power station along with its land and colony, which cost approximately Rs600 million on equity-based share. According to him Wapda`s share would be 20 per cent to 25 per cent.

He said that after its closure in 2000, all the staff of thermal power station was declared surplus and adjusted in other power stations. He and other staff of 20 to 25 posted at the defunct station also belonged to Guddu thermal power station and were drawing salaries from there, he added.

People of Sukkur demand that the Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf order rehabilitation of the thermal power station immediately to rid them of hours-long power outages.