Ahmed Khan Malik

The government of the Pakistan Peoples Party has initiated energy projects in Sindh province, continuing efforts from its previous tenure. These projects include solar, wind and coal.  “Newly-appointed Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain has directed speeding up the execution of the ongoing solar power projects in the province to fully tap the clean energy potential of the area and fulfil the election campaign promise of party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to provide 300 units of free electricity to underprivileged consumers,” said Zarar Hussain, Director Energy Wing of the Planning Department. He said the energy minister had asked the officials of his department to take care of quality standards and merit while executing the development projects. Zarar said that 15.3 million tonnes of coal are mined annually from Thar’s Block One and Two, generating 3,300 megawatts for the national grid and conserving foreign exchange. “A 105-kilometre-long railway track would be laid from Islamkot to Chor for transportation of the Thar coal upcountry to use it for various purposes,” he said. 

Zarar said that wind energy projects in Sindh have been producing 1,845MW of clean electricity for the national grid. “Three solar power projects of 150MWs have been completed in the province and as many of the World Bank-assisted solar energy projects would also be initiated to generate a total of 400MW of renewable electricity for the K-Electric.” He said that solar power systems have been installed on the premises of 33 government hospitals and health centres with a capacity to generate 21MW of electricity. “The rooftops of 24 government buildings have also been utilised for the installation of solar power systems for generating 11MW of clean electricity.” Sindh Energy Cell Director Murad Bux said that 19 schemes with an expenditure of Rs7.29 billion have been completed in the energy sector during the last five years.  He said that Independent Power Producer at Thar Coal Block-II – Engro Power Thar Limited – has been generating 660MW since July 2019.

“Other IPPs – Thar Energy Ltd generating 330MW since September 2022, Thal Nova Power Thar Limited generating 330MW since February 2023, and Lucky Electric Power at Port Qasim generating 660MW since March 2022. The total power generation based on Thar coal is 3,240MW,” he added. “Along with this, 12 wind power projects with a capacity of 610MW have been installed and injected into the national grid. Three solar projects of 50MW each at Saleh Pat, Sukkur division, have been installed,” Bux said. The Sindh Energy Cell director said a Letter of Intent has been issued for the 500MW Floating Solar Power Project, 1,200MW Wind Solar Hybrid Green Hydrogen Project, and 400MW B2B Wind Solar Hybrid Project in Thatta district.

Credit: INP-WealthPk