232MW power ship switched on

Ashraf, Qaim jointly inaugurate power plant

Plant to help minimise energy crisis: Ashraf
2500MW from Engro in next two yrs: Qaim

KARACHI: The biggest ship power plant of the world with a generation capacity of 232 megawatt electricity was switched on Sunday here at Karachi Port by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf jointly.

On the occasion, Raja Ashraf said plant would help minimise power crisis in Karachi while CM Qaim said government would also receive 2500MW electricity during the next two years from Engro under an agreement.
Addressing the ceremony, the Federal Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that this ship has the state-of-the-art power plant which would supply power to Karachi while meeting all international environmental standards. He said the plant would help minimise power crisis in Karachi.

The Minister described the plant as a symbol of Pak-Turkey friendship. He said the government is determined to strengthen the governance and the regulatory framework in the energy sector through capacity building in the power companies, Nepra and the Ministry while tariff rationalisation and elimination of subsidy remains our target.
Federal Minister admitted that electricity to be generated by the Turkish power plant would be expensive as plant would use furnace oil for its 70 per cent electricity generation.
He refuted the impression that Karachiites would have to bear a price as high as Rs17 per unit of electricity due to the supply of power from the above RPP. The 232MW power to be produced by the plant for next three years would be added to the national grid but it would be allocated exclusively for Karachi, he added.
Raja Ashraf said that Pakistan paid no advance for the plant which was built in Turkey. He also announced that inauguration of Diamer Bhasha Dam will be held next month.
Officials of Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB), Ministry of Water and Power and the representatives of the Turkey based power ship ‘Kaya Bey’ also attended the ceremony. Meanwhile talking to the media persona after inauguration ceremony, Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf announcing the end of power crises said that the construction work on more than seven small dams is under way and would have to use rental power plants till completion of other projects.
Ashraf said that the government arranges the rental power plant for five years to overcome the energy crises in the country. He said that the project is sign of friendly ties with Turkey, adding Turkey always supported Pakistan in testing time.
The federal minister said that they would have to pay Rs45.5 billion in five years in the wake of this plant which would produce 232 megawatt electricity with 1200 furnace oil. This power would be provided to KESC through PEPCO, he added.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Karachi is the business capital of the country and that the new project would help increasing the economic activities in the city. He said that the government is working on different hydel, coal and wind power projects but these projects are long term and therefore rental projects are being employed to lessen the intensity of the power crisis.
The federal minister also said that the residents of Karachi would not pay any additional amount for the power provided by the ship. The federal minister maintained that some eight IPPs and two rental power plants are producing 1800 megawatts electricity while four more IPPs of 800 MW soon would be reached here. He reiterated that the crises have been intensified as no project was stared from last twelve years.

Posted in: World News