Four electricity import proposals under study: Government

Minister Mukhtar says that the Kalabagh dam would help in addressing load shedding and flood alleviation.

ISLAMABAD: The question hour session in the National Assembly on Friday was largely dedicated to discussing the energy crisis in the country.

Responding to a question, Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar informed the lower house that the government was considering four proposals of importing power from countries including Iran and India.

He added that while the tariffs with Iran were already decided, discussion with the governments of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were under way.

“In two different proposals of 100 MW and 1000 MW, electricity would be imported from Iran respectively for which the tariff has already been decided,” the minister told the house, adding that another 1,000 MW will be imported from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan respectively negotiations for which were ongoing.

Meanwhile the tariff for another 500 MW of electricity, out of the 2,600 MW target set by the government, was being discussed with India.

The parliament was told that the electricity that was being imported from Iran was being supplied to the Makran division in Balochistan including Gwadar Deep Sea port, Gwadar district, Turbat, Panjgor, and Mand.

Replying to another question the minister for water and power stated that Kalabagh Dam, if constructed, would yield a direct annual benefit of almost Rs60 billion through irrigation, power generation and flood alleviation.

He informed the house that Kalabagh Dam will generate an average of 11,400 million KWh annually. Mukhtar said that average power benefits from the dam were estimated to be around Rs46 billion per annum.

“Kalabagh Dam on its completion would add 3,600 MW electricity to the system. About 11.4 billion units of low cost hydel electricity will be produced annually and transmitted to the national grid for supply to all provinces,” said the minister.