Govt to ask another 1,000MW power from Iran, beyond 1,000MW agreed earlier: Ashraf

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: The government is trying to obtain another 1,000MW power from Iran as soon as possible, as the existing power generation capacity of the country is not sufficient enough to meet the domestic requirements.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf expressed these views on Friday during a chat with journalists after holding a meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani here in the Ministry of Water and Power. The minister said that electricity was not a commodity to import, but needs to be produced domestically. About the current ongoing frequent power break down, he said it was due to shortfall in hydel power generation. The flow of water from Tarbela and Mongla dams had been stopped due to desilting process initiated by the government so as to improve water availability for irrigation purposes. The current power break down in the country would be totally removed by the end of January after completing the desilting process. However, during peak times in summer season, the minister said the country would again witness power shortfall problems.

The power shortfall would be overcome after December 2009.

The government also finalised the import of 1,000MW from Iran and for another 1,000MW negotiations were in progress with Iran. About the cost of imported power from Iran the minister said that it would be equivalent to the existing electricity prices. He said the government also succeeded in importing 40MW from Iran for Gwadar Port.

Earlier, the minister said that the federal government was taking all possible steps to provide basic amenities to the people and for development of Balochistan.

He said this while talking to the chief minister of Balochistan who called on him in his office. Provincial Minister for Finance and Revenue Asim Kurd Gillo and the Adviser to the Ministry of Water and Power, Riaz Ahmed Khan were also present. The minister said that different water and power sector projects with special allocations had been planned in various parts of Balochistan province to meet the electricity and water requirements.

He said that a rental power project of 200MW was being set up in Quetta while the feasibility study of four dams Hingol, Winder, Sukleji and Naolong had been completed by Wapda. Construction work on Hingol dam would be started soon.

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