Vision 2020: Energy generation will increase to 40,000MW

Plan includes generating energy from gas, indigenous coal, hydro, and renewable energy.

ISLAMABAD:

The energy sector planners have prepared a comprehensive plan under the ‘Vision 2020’, to double the generation capacity from current 20,000 megawatts (MW) to 40,000MW within ten years.

According to the Vision Statement of the Ministry of Water and Power, the development of power sector would be accelerated for sustainable economic growth and socio-economic prosperity of the country.

“We will initiate programmes and projects to add a minimum 20,000MW by the year 2020”, a senior official of the Ministry of Water and Power said.

He said that the 20,000MW addition to energy supply by 2020 programme would comprise 6,000MW from hydro sources, 6,000MW from coal, 5,000MW from gas, 1,000MW from Naphtha and other indigenous fuels and the remaining 2,000MW from alternative energy resources especially solar and wind.

He further said that the proposed 6,000MW of coal-fired projects would primarily be based on indigenous coal. This, he said, would also be supplemented by some projects on imported coal.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2011.