Economic ties: Pakistani envoy in Tehran hints at energy cooperation

Says delegation from Islamabad will likely visit shortly to discuss purchase of electricity

ISLAMABAD: A delegation from Islamabad is due to visit Iran in a bid to consider more cooperation in electricity and even propose buying more electricity from Iran, said Pakistan’s Ambassador to Tehran Asif Durrani.

In a meeting with Iran Power and Water Industries Equipment and Services Export Company’s (Sunir) Managing Director Bahman Salehi, Durrani said that the Gwadar region in Pakistan needs more electricity, IRNA reported.

Durrani said that in case of Sunir’s desire for more direct investment, there is potential to cede projects in the energy sector to Iranian companies without international tender to the company.

According to Salehi during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Pakistan in April he signed an agreement with the Pakistani president to increase electricity export to 3,000 megawatts.

Salehi said that Sunir has the capability to increase electricity export capacities to 5,000 megawatts.



He underlined the cooperation agreement as the key reason behind the execution of the project to transfer electricity into Gwadar. He also highlighted that this deal was signed before the West imposed sanctions against Iran, but it has still not been implemented.

Tehran Chamber Energy Commission Deputy Head Hamid-Reza Salehi also said Sunir has permission from Iran Power Generation and Transmission Company (Tavanir) to transfer 400 megawatts electricity to Pakistan and is ready to build the transmission line.

“Pakistan has also authorised two banks to build connection with Sunir, but there is no indication for implementation of the project,” Salehi added.

Already Minister of Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif had told IRNA that Iran is the best choice for Pakistan to import electricity, gas and oil.

During its past 22 years of activity Sunir has commissioned more than 230 projects in different countries and now has 18 projects in 13 countries under implementation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2016.

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