Comment by Riaz Haq on December 15, 2022 at 8:10am

The Thar coal power project has started generating 1,320 MW on a trial basis and the electricity would soon become part of national grid, a senior official said on Sunday.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1725886/another-thar-coal-power-plant-sta...

“The test production of 1,320 MW has successfully been started,” Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Sheikh said in a statement issued on Sunday.

“This production plant is being run in cooperation with Shanghai Electric. The fresh production of power supply would soon be included in national grid. The power plants of Engro and Hub Power are already contribution 660 MW each in the national grid,” he said.

Only last week, the federal government had announced that the first unit of the Shanghai Electric’s coal-based power plant has been connected to the national grid.

The development was shared by Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan, who termed it the fruit of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative.

Comment by Riaz Haq on December 15, 2022 at 8:11am

As Pakistan’s energy import bill touched an exorbitant $27 billion, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif underlined the need to explore indigenous resources including hydel, solar, air and coal to produce cheap electricity.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2390979/cpec-fruit-1320mw-project-init...

Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan stated that a 1,320MW project has been initiated by the Shanghai Electric Group in Thar to use indigenous coal for electricity production.

“The plants have been connected to the national grid,” and that the initiative “was borne from the fruit of CPEC projects,” he observed.

Pakistan is suffering from the impact of the greenhouse effect, so green power generation is the trend. PM Sharif also revealed that the incumbent government has prepared a plan to generate 10,000MW of electricity through solar energy.

“We know that Pakistan is rich in solar and wind resources,” said Wang Haowei from Shanghai Electric, the Business Manager of the Zhang Jiakou Green Power Project. “The installed capacity of the project is 150 MW wind power, 30 MW photovoltaic power and 10 MW energy storage.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on December 27, 2022 at 10:25am

Green investment on rise, Pakistan to get 30 % renewable energy - Pakistan Observer

https://pakobserver.net/green-investment-on-rise-pakistan-to-get-30...


Until now, renewable energy sources make up a very minor fraction of Pakistan’s overall power generation mix. According to a recent report of the National Electric Power Regulatovry Authority, the installed capacity for wind and solar accounts for roughly 4.2% (1,831 MW) and 1.4% (630 MW) of a total of 43,775 MW, respectively.

China is already the biggest investor in green energy in Pakistan. Currently, out of the $144 million in foreign investment in solar PV plants in Pakistan, $125 million is from China, accounting for nearly 87% of the total.

Thanks to Chinese investments, a few weeks ago Federal Power Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan inaugurated two new wind energy projects in Jhimpir, Thatta District, Sindh, with an aim to produce cheaper and clean electricity through indigenous energy sources. Wind projects in this region have been one of several renewable energy projects to have received Chinese investment in recent years. Around 90 kilometers from Karachi, Jhimpir is the heartland of the country’s largest ‘Wind corridor’, which has the potential to produce 11,000 megawatts (MW) of energy from green resources.

Comment by Riaz Haq on February 3, 2023 at 4:40pm

Faseeh Mangi
@FaseehMangi
Pakistan Launches $2.7 Billion China-Designed Nuclear Plant
☢️Nuclear is Pakistan's cheapest energy source by far
⚡️Nuclear generated about a fifth of total electricity in last six months, second biggest power source

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-02/pakistan-launche...

https://twitter.com/FaseehMangi/status/1621129600792399872?s=20&...

Pakistan inaugurated a $2.7 billion nuclear reactor, providing some relief as the nation grapples with an energy crisis. The 1,100 megawatts capacity power plant will generate some of the nation's cheapest electricity, according to data from regulator National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-02/pakistan-launche...

It’s the second unit at the Karachi nuclear power plant to use a Chinese-designed Hualong One reactor. China financed the facility’s expansion.

Pakistan “badly needs clean and cheap sources of energy, whether it is nuclear, hydro or other renewables,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at a ceremony at the power plant in Karachi.

While the new facility is a welcome addition to Pakistan’s stretched grid, it won’t do much to curb dependence on expensive fossil fuel imports or solve the nation’s chronic energy shortages.

Pakistan is in discussions with the International Monetary Fund to increase its energy tariffs in return for bailout funds.

The country’s foreign-exchange reserves fell to the lowest in nine years last month, as high fossil fuel costs put pressure on the government’s budget.

Comment by Riaz Haq on February 4, 2023 at 10:03am

#China, #Pakistan mark completion of #Karachi 2&3 (K2 & K3) #nuclear #power plants, each generating 1100 MW. "Since entering commercial operation, the K-2 and K-3 units have generated nearly 20 billion kilowatt-hours of #electricity" #Infrastructure https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/China,-Pakistan-mark-co...

A ceremony has been held to mark the inauguration of unit 3 of the Karachi nuclear power plant in Pakistan. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said the two Hualong One reactors at the site have now both officially been delivered to Pakistan and put into operation.


During the event, speeches were made by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ali Raza, China Atomic Energy Agency Deputy Director Liu Jing and CNNC General Manager Gu Jun. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi also delivered a speech via video.

"Since entering commercial operation, the K-2 and K-3 units have generated nearly 20 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, effectively alleviating the power shortage in Pakistan, as well as making positive contributions to Pakistan's social and economic development, energy security and independence, and addressing climate change," CNNC said. "At the same time, the K-2/K-3 project has provided more than 60,000 jobs for the local people throughout the whole cycle and trained a large number of local industrial workers."

Units 2 and 3 of the Karachi site - near Paradise Point in the province of Sindh - are the first exports of CNNC's 1100 MWe Hualong One pressurised water reactor, which is also promoted on the international market as HPR1000.

Construction of unit 2 began in 2015, with that of unit 3 following in May 2016. Karachi 2 achieved first criticality in February 2021 and was connected to the grid the following month after the completion of commissioning tests. The then Prime Minister Imran Khan formally inaugurated unit 2 on 21 May 2021.

Unit 3 achieved first criticality on 21 February 2022 and was connected to the grid on 4 March. Unit 3 passed acceptance tests on 18 April 2022, marking its entry into commercial operation.

According to CNNC, since Karachi units 2 and 3 have been put into operation, "the frequency and duration of local power outages have been greatly reduced".

The company noted Karachi 2 and 3 now provide Pakistan with nearly 20 billion kWh of clean electricity every year, meeting the annual demand of the local population of 2 million people. The units will reduce the equivalent standard coal consumption by 6.24 million tonnes per year, thereby cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 16.32 million tonnes.

The Karachi site - also sometimes referred to as KANUPP - was home to Pakistan's first nuclear power reactor, Karachi 1 - a small 100 MWe (90 MWe net) Canadian pressurised heavy water reactor which shut down in 2021 after 50 years of operation.

The first domestic demonstration plants of CNNC's Hualong One design are Fuqing 5 and 6, in China's Fujian province. The units entered commercial operation in January 2021 and March this year, respectively

Comment by Riaz Haq on February 19, 2023 at 7:41am

Indus River diverted at Dasu hydropower project site
Stage-I of the project likely to start electricity generation in 2026


https://tribune.com.pk/story/2402059/indus-river-diverted-at-dasu-h...

Indus River was successfully diverted following the completion of one of the two diversion tunnels at the under-construction Dasu hydropower project in Kohistan District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Instead of its natural course, the river is now flowing through a 1.33-kilometre (Km) long diversion tunnel with a 20-metre (m) width and 23-m height.

Consequently, construction activities have been initiated on the starter dam, leading toward the construction of the main dam of the Dasu hydropower project.

The diversion of the mighty river was witnessed by the general manager and project director of the project, representatives of contractors and consultants, along with a number of engineers and workers.

Meanwhile, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Lt General (retd) Sajjad Ghani congratulated the project management on achieving this milestone.

The diversion system of the Dasu hydropower project comprises two tunnels – tunnel A and tunnel B. Of these, the latter is complete, which has the discharge capacity, sufficient to divert the water from Indus River during the current lean-flows season.

The 1.5-km long tunnel A, with a 20-m width and 23-m height, will also be ready by mid-April this year to cater to the increased water flows during the high-flow season.

The project is a vital component of the least-cost, green and clean energy generation plan of WAPDA.

The 4320 MW-Dasu hydropower project is planned to be completed in two stages.

At present, WAPDA is constructing its stage-I with an installed generation capacity of 2160 MW and annual energy generation of 12 billion units and is likely to start electricity generation in 2026.

The 2160 MW stage-II, when implemented, will also provide nine billion units to the national grid.

On the completion of both stages, Dasu will become a project with the highest annual energy generation in Pakistan (ie 21 billion units per annum on average).

Comment by Riaz Haq on March 6, 2023 at 4:07pm

POWERCHINA Celebrates 10th Anniversary of CPEC: Committed to Bringing Pakistan Forward for Green and Sustainable Development


https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005420/en/POWERCHINA...

This year will see the 10th anniversary of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). As one of the key enterprises participating in the construction of the CPEC, POWERCHINA has been active in various fields such as energy, electricity, water management, and infrastructure investment in Pakistan since it entered the Pakistani market as early as 1987.

Over the past 36 years, POWERCHINA has completed the 103 projects in Pakistan, including the first roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam in Pakistan – the Gomal Zam Dam multipurpose project, and the first mainstream hydropower station on the Indus River – the Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project, the largest installed hydropower station – the Tarbela 4th & 5th Extension Hydropower Project, and the largest wind farm – the Tricon Boston 150 MW Wind Power Project.

In the past ten years, among the first 20 energy and infrastructure projects of the CPEC, POWERCHINA has participated in the investment and construction of 11 projects. POWERCHINA has consolidated the traditional power business, and continued to contribute to the development of new energy and other fields. Pakistan's largest hydropower hub project currently being constructed by POWERCHINA, the Diamer Basha Dam Project, will become the tallest and largest RCC dam in the world, and is expected to provide Pakistan with 18.1 billion KWh of clean electricity every year. As the project progresses, it is expected to provide more than 20,000 job opportunities, which is considered as one of the many positive effects of the project by Nadeem Ilyas, a Pakistani engineer of the project.

As one of the leading enterprises in China, POWERCHINA has carried out high-quality clean energy project construction and operation in accordance with international standards, and is committed to improving Pakistan's infrastructure conditions and alleviating local power shortages. It has not only made important contributions to the sustainable development of Pakistan, but also played a key role in the development of CPEC.

Comment by Riaz Haq on March 7, 2023 at 10:00am

Pakistan has an energy surplus. Here’s why it gets hit by blackouts anyway
For several years, Pakistan’s cities and villages have suffered from power outages lasting several hours a day. In January, a nationwide blackout plunged the country of 230 million people into darkness. But the problem isn’t energy supply.

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/03/06/whats-behind-pakistans-energy...

This January, much of Pakistan’s population of nearly 230 million people plunged into darkness, bringing widespread disruption to people and industries for almost 24 hours.

“If you go to our government hospitals – which didn’t have back-up facilities – or field hospitals, or small nursing homes, they had to stop all their services,” said Dr. Shayan Ansari, a surgeon at a private hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.

A similar incident struck last October. Meanwhile, smaller blackouts regularly hit cities and villages for several hours daily.

But the problem is not energy supply.

“We don’t have a problem as far as the supply of energy is concerned in Pakistan,” said Ishrat Husain, who served as an advisor to ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. “Both outages were caused because there were fluctuations on the transmission lines, which have not been updated for quite some time.”

In 2020, nearly 20 percent of Pakistan’s energy was simply lost during transmission, distribution and delivery.

Pakistan’s energy problems are having a cascading effect on the country’s economy, which is on the verge of collapse. Watch the video above to find out more.

Comment by Riaz Haq on March 26, 2023 at 5:12pm

Civil nuclear energy: Kasuri says China agreed to sign accord with Pakistan way back in 2003

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1051609-civil-nuclear-energy-kasur...

The former foreign minister emphasized the need for internal unity if Pakistan was to ensure meaningful progress in the field of foreign policy

ISLAMABAD: Former foreign minister Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri has revealed that China agreed to sign an agreement with Pakistan way back in 2003 in the field of civil nuclear energy before joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) while the United States declined to cooperate with Pakistan for the same in the face of AQ Khan affair. The Chinese continued their cooperation and facilitated in establishing many nuclear power plants in Pakistan.

The former foreign minister emphasized the need for internal unity if Pakistan was to ensure meaningful progress in the field of foreign policy.

“In the current state of disunity and lack of direction in Pakistan, no country, friend or foe, knows how or who to deal with in Pakistan. This is a very dangerous situation and cannot be allowed to continue. It is the primary duty of all the stakeholders in Pakistan to bring this to an end.”

Mian Kasuri was addressing a ceremony at the Government College University, Lahore, where he was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions in international relations and diplomacy, promoting Pakistan’s relations with major world capitals and neighbours and for his efforts to promote regional peace and connectivity.

The former foreign minister, who served the country from November 2002 to Nov 2007, also disclosed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked Pakistan to continue the dialogue for Kashmir dispute’s resolution under the famous four-point formula that was mooted in his tenure as foreign minister.

He expressed his happiness at the fact that the recent book, ‘In Pursuit of Peace’ by former Indian ambassador to Pakistan and negotiator for backchannel talks during PM Manmohan Singh’s tenure Ambassador S K Lambah, had comprehensively confirmed that what Mian Kasuri had said in his book ‘Neither a Hawk nor a Dove’ published much earlier that Pakistan and India had agreed to resolve all the outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.

Kasuri expressed his pleasant surprise at Lambah’s revelation that Modi asked him to continue the dialogue in 2014 on the same four-point formula. The former foreign minister said that he was aware that because of the negativity engendered by Hindutva supporters under the Modi government, the relationship between the two countries had become exceedingly tense.

PM Modi, Kasuri said, cannot rule India forever. Even at the best of times, he was able to secure about 37% of the total votes with an overwhelming majority voting for parties who are, by and large, opposed to the current policies of the BJP government on Muslims, Kashmir and Pakistan.

“There was no guarantee that Modi would not change his extremist policies, either before or after elections. After all, Modi had paid a surprise visit to Lahore in December 2015 to meet former PM Nawaz Sharif,” Mian Kasuri said.

Besides India, he said, during his tenure, exceptionally close relationship was forged between Pakistan and Bangladesh and he remained in a close personal relationship with his counterpart, Morshed Khan.

He also made sure to cultivate close relationship with PM Khalida Zia and the then opposition leader and current PM, Hasina Wajed.

Similarly, close ties were developed with Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Mian Khurshid Kasuri went on to describe the success of the government at that time in establishing close relationship with the US and China, at the same time. A broad-based Strategic Partnership Agreement with the United States was formalised, which aimed to promote cooperation in different fields, including economic development, science and technology, education, energy, agriculture, and a regular strategic dialogue.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 20, 2023 at 1:40pm

#Pakistan #Hydro #power: 1530MW #Tarbela 5th Extension Project to start power generation in 2025. It's financed by World Bank ($390 million) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ($300 million). #RenewableEnergy #electricity https://www.nation.com.pk/20-May-2023/1530mw-tarbela-5th-extension-... via @the_nation

Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, having a cumulative generation capacity of 1530MW, will start power generation in 2025.

While briefing Chairman WAPDA Engr Lt Gen (r) Sajjad Ghani during his visit to Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, it was informed that electricity generation from the project would start in 2025. Masood Ahmed from World Bank also accompanied the chairman. GM Tarbela Dam Zakir Ateeq, PD Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project and representatives of the consultants and the contractor, made detailed presentation on progress of the project. It was briefed that construction activities are underway on five sites. Recovery plan to match the completion schedule of the project was also discussed in detail during the briefing.

Earlier, the chairman witnessed construction work on various sites including intake, penstock and outlet, power house, tailrace culvert and switch yard. Member (Power) WAPDA Jamil Akhtar, GM (Power) Tarbela Nasrum Minallah, GM (HRD) Brig Hamid Raza (Retd) and GM (Security) Brig Muhammad Tufail (Retd) were also present on the occasion.

During his interaction with the project management, the chairman said that green, clean and affordable hydel electricity is all the more important to rationalise the tariff and stabilise the economy. This necessitates timely completion of hydropower projects, he added. The Chairman urged the project management to gear up their efforts and complete Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project in accordance with the schedule.

WAPDA is constructing Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project on Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam. World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are providing financial assistance for the project to the tune of $390 million and $300 million respectively. Cumulative generation capacity of the project stands at 1530MW with three generating units of 510MW each. The project will provide 1.347 billion units of environment friendly and low-cost hydel electricity to the national grid on the average every year. With completion of Tarbela 5th Extension Project, installed capacity at Tarbela Dam will increase from 4888 MW to 6418 MW. Chairman WAPDA also visited intake structure of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydel Power Station and discussed operation and maintenance (O&M) activities of the power station. Commissioned in 2018 with funding of the World Bank, the 1410 MW-Tarbela 4th Extension Hydel Power Station has so far provided 18.67 billion units of electricity to the national grid.

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