Punjab power generation policy to be reviewed soon

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister constituted a committee headed by Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmad to review the Punjab power generation policy so as to provide appropriate suitable framework for speedy development of small hydro power projects & strategic planning for sustainable development of power projects in the province.

This committee met at the committee room of Irrigation & Power department's headquarters under the chairmanship of Senior Minister and reviewed the recommendations of the sub-committee set up earlier to suggest proposals for shortening the timeframe of setting up new power projects.

The meeting was informed that Punjab Power Department Board (PPDB) had been created to provide one window facility to attract private investors for the installation of power projects to fulfil increasing demands of electricity. The board has already issued LoIs to 10 qualified sponsors for conducting feasibility studies.

The 2002 power generation policy of the federal government allows provinces and the AJK to develop power generation projects of sufficient capacity in public and private sectors at low cost to utilise the available natural resources for power generation and to avoid capacity shortfall. This capacity has, therefore, been framed by Punjab government to attract investors to develop and implement power generation projects up to 50MW.

The board has been given the mandate to implement power generation projects in private sector through the utilisation of water resources of canals/rivers and other resources as well as wind and solar energy wherever economically available.

The meeting recommended that no LoIs of raw hydel or coal project should be issued without advertising it in the mass media and the most suitable sponsors would be issued LoI for conducting the feasibility study.

The meeting also recommended reconstituting and expanding the board. The Senior Minister said that the board could be a suitable platform initiating solar energy, renewable energy and hydel energy projects for providing additional energy resources to the public and the government.