Punjab launching first power project next month

Lahore: Giving practical shape to its ambitious plan to achieve self-reliance in the energy sector, Punjab government is launching construction of the first of the five hydro-power projects at Head Marala on River Ravi next month.

The small dam called Khokhra Hydro Power Project will produce 3.2 megawatts, will be a humble beginning of the province's plan to tap eleven identified sites for producing 140 megawatts of electricity.

The Programme Co-ordinator Barrages Review Cell of the Planning and Development Department, Wasif Sultan Ali Khan, told APP that the project, whose PC-1 was approved by the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) on September 01 2007, would cost merely Rs 478 million. Wasif Sultan said that XEN, Gujrat has already pre-qualified contractor for civil works.

The other four projects will be built at Chianwali, Pakpattan, Okara and Deg Nullah. The total cost of the five projects will be Rs 3414 million. Besides the projects, the Punjab government is also going to establish a corporate body, Punjab Power Development Company Limited (PPDCL) to function as a capacity building body like Wapda. The projects are being financed by Asian Development Bank which holds authority to approve firms for pre-qualifications and technical proposals.

Punjab government had invited Expression of Interest (EOI) for the installation of hydro power plants on the barrages of canals and rivers in March, 2007. As many as 41 sponsors sought registration and 14 private investors submitted statements of qualification for eleven raw sites with a total potential for the production of 140 megawatts. Seven of the pre-qualified sponsors will carry out feasibility studies within a year's time after their approval by the Planning and Development Board.