Chinese companies to invest $10b in Sindh’s energy sector
Business delegation returns triumphant from trip to China.
KARACHI:
The Government of Sindh has signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Chinese companies worth $10 billion in the energy sector (coal, wind and solar energy) to generate 4,300 megawatts (MW) in Sindh, said Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference after returning from China, where he had paid a visit along with a delegation of Sindh Board of Investment, Khuhro said that the objective of his visit to China was to seek investment in the energy sector.
He further said that this had not been his first visit to bring investment in Pakistan. “I have visited China eight times for the same purpose,” he maintained.
Flanked by Sindh Board of Investment Chairman Zubair Motiwala and Secretary Yunus Dagha, he said the government would be able to produce around 4,300 MW of electricity through the Thar coal project with the investment of China. “Foreign investors have shown an interest to invest in Thar coal field where we have the world’s second largest reservoirs of coal,” he added. He said that Pakistan is facing an acute shortage of energy, which is hampering economic development.
Khuhro went on to say that the delegation had inked an agreement with Orient Group of Energy of China for production of wind energy in Sindh as well. He further said India is producing around 15,000 MW of electricity through wind system, but Pakistan has so far not utilised this.
To a question, he said that the world has progressed in harnessing solar energy but again, Pakistan is lagging in this area.
He said that a manufacturing plant will also be installed in Sindh, which will facilitate in making of wind turbines.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2011.
The Government of Sindh has signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Chinese companies worth $10 billion in the energy sector (coal, wind and solar energy) to generate 4,300 megawatts (MW) in Sindh, said Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference after returning from China, where he had paid a visit along with a delegation of Sindh Board of Investment, Khuhro said that the objective of his visit to China was to seek investment in the energy sector.
He further said that this had not been his first visit to bring investment in Pakistan. “I have visited China eight times for the same purpose,” he maintained.
Flanked by Sindh Board of Investment Chairman Zubair Motiwala and Secretary Yunus Dagha, he said the government would be able to produce around 4,300 MW of electricity through the Thar coal project with the investment of China. “Foreign investors have shown an interest to invest in Thar coal field where we have the world’s second largest reservoirs of coal,” he added. He said that Pakistan is facing an acute shortage of energy, which is hampering economic development.
Khuhro went on to say that the delegation had inked an agreement with Orient Group of Energy of China for production of wind energy in Sindh as well. He further said India is producing around 15,000 MW of electricity through wind system, but Pakistan has so far not utilised this.
To a question, he said that the world has progressed in harnessing solar energy but again, Pakistan is lagging in this area.
He said that a manufacturing plant will also be installed in Sindh, which will facilitate in making of wind turbines.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2011.