Wind energy in Pakistan: Sindh allots 908 acres for 500MW wind farm

The Sindh government on Wednesday formally allotted a huge area of 908 acres to a firm, M/s NBT to establish wind power project in Thatta district, which would produce 500MWs electricity.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, in a small ceremony held here on Wednesday, allotted the land formally to M/s NBT Power Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd for 500MWs wind power project in district Thatta. Qaim said that proposed project of 500MW was the biggest wind power project of Asia and Sindh will become the biggest power house of Pakistan.

He welcomed the investors of M/s NBT and its major partner M/s Malakoff of Malaysia, saying that the Sindh government will extend all support and facilitation for the investors for power projects and other sectors. He said that under new Land Allotment Policy government of Sindh stands guarantee for the provision of security in the area in close coordination with the management of companies.

Chief Minister Sindh also invited Malaysian company M/s Malakoff to participate in the Thar Coal Mining Power Generation Project in the next ICB.Muhammad Zubair Motiwala Chairman Sindh Board of Investment explaining the salient features of the project told the audience that M/s NBT has committed for completion of the project in shortest possible time and looking at the volume of the project and the profile of the company we expect that physical civil work on ground will start in 12 months time.

Under the new Land Allotment Policy of government of Sindh where only area under footprints will be leased to the investors and rest of the land will remain in the possession of the government and can be used for any other activity, which by any means doesn’t harm the wind farm installation and speed of the air.

He told the audience that under the old policy for 500MWs, 12,500 acres were required and under new policy we are only provisionally allotting 908 acres of land in strips, which is as per the best international practices.

So far, land has been allotted to 30 Local as well as international investors/firms, which will establish wind projects with installed capacity of more than 1800MWs in the province. He hoped that electricity of at least 800 MWs will start producing and come in the system by the June, 2013. He further said that with the proposed investment in wind projects including by the United Energy-150 MWs, China Three Gorges-150 MWs, FFC-50 MWs, Zorlu Energy 56.4 MWs, Fauji Foundation–100 MWs and NBT-500 MWs, totaling at 800MWs.

Naheed Shah Durrani, secretary investment, told the audience that M/s NBT has very recently emerged as a major player in the renewable energy sector and have already commissioned 200MWs in Beijing, China and have signed a framework agreement of 1,000 MWs (20 farms) with Datang, China. M/S Malakoff; the leading IPPs on Multiple fuel technology with generation capacity of 5020MWs in Malaysia alone and producing thousands of MWs in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Algeria, is the major implementation partner in 500 MWs wind power project with M/s NTB.

She further explained that looking at the experience and background in the energy sector, Sindh government has also under taken discussion with M/S Malakaof to consider installation of 1000 MWs Thar Coal Field Power Plant in Sindh preferably in Thar area.The ceremony was attended by Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, chief secretary Sindh, secretary information, senior member BOR, member LU and others.

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