KESC negotiates wind, coal-fired power plants

Karachi: Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Amjad has said that the KESC is negotiating with various foreign and local companies for establishing wind and coal-fired power plants.

Addressing members of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), he said that these power stations would be of small capacity of 50 to 60 mw. Referring to coal fired power units, he said it had not yet been not decided that the coal-fired plants would be based on using Thar coal, or imported coal.

Regarding load shedding in industrial areas, he said that KESC was facing around 245 mw power shortage due to which it has no option but to carry out load shedding in the city. Amjad said that at present there is a demand of around 2420 mw while the supply is only 2175 mw, leaving a gap of 245 mw.

He said that KESC was carrying out load shedding from 12 midnight to 4 am in industrial areas. Power remaining off during day is due either to some technical fault or tripping of the feeder, he added. Giving reasons of frequent tripping of feeders, he said that frequent switching off and on is the main cause of higher tripping of lines, and restoring normal power supply takes longer time.

He said that in 1995 there was around 1750 mw power demand in Karachi which has increased to 2420 mw. The CEO said that Karachi needs around 1500 mw additional power generation plants by 2013 to meet the increasing demand. By the year 2013, there would be around 4500 mw power demand, he estimated.

He said that 70 percent work on the 220 mw power station has been completed. Contract for establishing 560 mw power station is likely to be signed soon, he added. He said that Korangi power plant unit No 6 would come up soon.

Another units of 70 mw will be added soon. It is a rented power station. Papco is also establishing a power generation unit at Nooriabad, and it would supply power to KESC.

He said that KESC was facing another big problem in making decision of having more new power stations. He said that Pakistan has no gas. Oil prices have gone up considerably due to continuous increase in oil prices internationally and deprecation of rupee against dollar.

He said if KESC establishes new power station based on furnace oil then per units cost will increase by Rs 0.75 or Rs 0.80 per unit. The CEO said that KESC has installed 900 new PMTs, laid around 300km underground wire. Some grid stations have been commissioned.