LAHORE - The PML-N government is going to complete various power projects of thermal, hydro and coal generation, having target of adding more than 10,000MW electricity in the system before election by June 2018, and meeting the peak demand of around 25,250 MW in coming summer 2018.
However, despite surplus power the government's promise of ending loadshedding will not be fulfilled completely because power outages will continue in those areas where line losses are more than 10 percent.
According to officials, the government has imposed ban on new power generation, as there would be surplus power in the country after completion of these on-going projects.
The decision was taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which decided to focus on completing only ongoing energy projects before the election, besides ensuring availability of transmission lines for evacuation of power from these power projects.
The power ministry officials said that presently three RLNG-fired power projects of 1180MW at Bhikki, 1223MW at Balloki and 1230MW at Haveli Bahadar Shah have been completed and passing through different processes. Though some of their units have already started power generation yet their generation at full capacity is expected next month.
They said that among these power projects about eight projects of around 7,400MW are being processed by the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB), which have been targeted to be completed before election 2018.
The work on 1300MW coal-fired power plant at Port Qasim is completed by almost 90 percent while 70 percent work of 1320MW Engro Thar coal-fired power plant has been completed. The 100MW Jhimpir Wind Farm, 50 MW Sachal Wind Farm, 50MW Dawood Wind Farm and 900MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur have been completed so far. In the same way, the work on 1320MW Sahiwal coal power plant is also completed and started generation last year.
Officials said that Neelum Jehlum hydropower project is also near to complete and one of its' unit will start test generation in March while 1410MW Tarbela 4th Extension has already started power generation in the last week of Feb while the second unit of the project would come on line by end of April, and the third unit by end of May this year.
They said that the 720MW Karot hydropower project has been completed by more than 65 percent while 873MW Suki Kinari Hydropower Project is also under construction but their power generation target is beyond 2018 election.
Officials said that the Port Qasim Coal fired project of $2 billion is being developed by Sino hydro Resource of China and Al-Mirqab Captial of Qatar. The project has also been partially energised recently.
They said that the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park is expected to add about 400MW to the existing 300MW capacity, to reach 700MW by June 2018. The Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) has also claimed to process more than 30 multiple fuel-based power projects of more than 20,500MW, which are in various stages of development.
The PPIB has also issued letters of interest for 22 power projects of 17,090MW and letters of support for 15 projects of 13,150MW recently.
Various projects of 10,275MW achieved financial close and commenced construction. A total of 19 independent power projects of around 15,000MW are scheduled to be completed by 2021. Three hydro-power projects including 870MW Suki Kinari, 720MW Karot and 102MW Gulpur, are under construction following their financial close.
According to Wapda officials, the civil works on Diamer-Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam would also start in year 2018, and these projects would have capacity to store over nine million acre feet (maf) of water, besides generating 5,300MW of hydro electricity. They said that first phase of 4,320MW Dasu Hydro Power Project would be completed in 2022, adding that each phase of the project would generate 2,160MW on their completion. Similarly, Kurram Tungi Dam in North Waziristan Agency would also be completed in two phases and work on its first phase had been initiated since March 2017.