Pervez Assures Improved Power Supply To Balochistan

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that concrete steps are being taken to improve and smooth power supply in Balochistan.

He made these observations while talking to Nawab Aslam Raisani, Chief Minister Balochistan who called on him here today along with his five members of provincial Cabinet and discussed various matters related to supply of electricity in the province.

The Chief Minister and his Cabinet members briefed the meeting on the electricity related issues in Balochistan and discussed various measures to resolve it at the earliest and prospects of new power plants through geothermal, wind and solar. He also informed that the agriculture sector of Balochistan is facing difficulties due to shortage of power supply and asked the Minister to make necessary arrangements for maximum uninterrupted supply to the agriculture sector as it is only source of income of mostly population of Balochistan.

The Minister said that work on Dadu-Khuzdar 220KV double circuit line and Dera Ghazi Khan-LoraLai 220KV is underway which, after completion in June 2011, would generate about 600MW additional electricity for the consumers of Balochistan. Agreement between Iran and Pakistan has been finalized for import of 100MW electricity from Iran for Gwadar. He said coal-run power plant has been proposed through joint venture of Pepco and government of Balochistan in the province. He said ongoing electricity shortages partly due to sabotage activities by miscreants in Balochistan would be resolved in next 6-8 days and informed that Sibi-Quetta Transmission line would be restored by 10^th July. He also informed the delegation that a project of 250 MW has also been proposed in Shaikh Manda in Quetta. He said that 14 grid stations would be set up in various localities of Balochistan financed by Asian Development Bank and some of existing grid stations and transmission lines would be upgraded for system improvement. The Minister said that different electricity improvement projects in Balochistan are underway which would resolve the menace of load shedding shortly besides rendering additional electricity.

The Chief Minister thanked the Minister for the electricity improvement plan and assured that security would be provided for protection of power installation and transmission lines in Balochistan. He also said that government of Balochistan will support the proposed power plants in the province.

The meeting was attended by Provincial Ministers Mir Asim Kurd Gailu, Syed Ehsan Shah, Ainullah Shams, Engineer Zamrak Khan, Mir Sadiq Umrani, and Shahid Rafi, Secretary Ministry of Water and Power, Riaz Ahmed Khan Advisor, CEO NTDC and senior officers of the Ministry of Water and Power.