Pakistan

‘Karachi not to receive power from Turkish ship’

Minister says Turkish plant is meant for Karachi but KESC denies the claim.

Express November 22, 2010

KARACHI: A controversy has erupted as to who would be receiving electricity from the Turkish ship-borne power plant, with Water and Power Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf announcing it is meant for Karachi but the city’s power utility denying the claim outright.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the power ship, Kaya Bey, on Sunday in Karachi, the minister said 220 megawatts of electricity to be had from the power plant will be supplied to the city’s industrial, commercial and residential consumers.

But in an instant rebuttal of the claim, a spokesperson for the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) asserted that there would be no additional power coming from this plant to Karachi consumers.

Elaborating, the spokesperson said that the KESC, under a five-year power purchase agreement signed with NTDC/Pepco earlier this year, will continue to receive up to 650 MW of power during the term of this agreement.

The arrival of Turkish power ship (however) will not add any incremental electricity units to KESC network. “This new project has been managed and imported by the government for the state-run Pepco and its distribution companies which will run the plant and utilise its electricity,” said the KESC spokesperson.

“Therefore, there will be no additional power coming from this plant to Karachi consumers.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2010.

COMMENTS (11)

Educated | 14 years ago | Reply Useless Government. Can't even sort out simple issues.

Talha Bin Masood | 14 years ago | Reply Nothing to fight about guys. In any case Karachi was not getting any additional mega-watts. As Raja Pervaiz already said that 220MW would come from this ship, therefore 220MW would be minused from the WAPDA's supply of 600-650MW to Karachi. So actually the minister was saving Wapda's 220MW, which he would have a plan to distribute 'somewhere else'. And KESC on the other hand is fighting on his larger share to use it 'somewhere else'. So none of the parties are actually advocating an increased supply to karachi. Rather in this confusion it is more probable that WAPDA may cut-off their 220MW theirselves, to make KESC use the ship's supply. So probably in this conflict for some period karachi would suffer a loss of 220MW....which means more loadshedding.

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Mahmood | 14 years ago | Reply So let's get this straight - there's a power generating ship docked with Karachi, let alone diesel fired (hence higher pollution content). We Karachi-ites will have to breathe the pollution it'll generate and we get NOTHING in exchange???

Amer | 14 years ago | Reply If it's not going to provide power to Karachi then who is it going to power? We really didn't need this ship in the first place now the situation is going to be more embarassing for the administration.

Rizwan T Khan | 14 years ago | Reply Guess it will supply power to the leaders and the elite class only. LOL

Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Hah! It only took ONE day for them to embarrass themselves and yet again let down the citizens.

Umair Waheed Sheikh, Khayban e Hafiz,IBA Karachi | 14 years ago | Reply Karachi in itself is self sufficient in power even when excluding this 220 MW plant. The problem is most of the IPP's in Karachi channel energy into the National Grid. They should channel it into KESC's distribution system. This would not only reduce line losses but also improve efficiency. But alas the Punjabis are to blame for this. It is because of them that the Karachiites are unable to get electricity.

Mir | 14 years ago | Reply Shameless!

Saud Usmani | 14 years ago | Reply For Rs.18/- per unit...! it would be better not to get it. But my question is when there is a case going on in supreme court against RPPs, why such projects are still in progress? Didn't SC has issued any stay order against such projects? PPP Govt. strikes back, In early 90's it was IPPs and now RPPs. and "NO BODY CAN STOP PAKISTAN FROM GOING FORWARD..."(PM. Gillani).

ARF | 14 years ago | Reply confusion and creating more trouble for the masses is the motto of every government body - good going

Syed A. Mateen | 14 years ago | Reply It is unfortunate that the economic engine of Karachi which generates the maximum revenues for the country will not be able to benefit from the Turkish Power Ship, despite the fact that Karachiites pay the highest tariff of electricity to KESC, comparing to the rest of the power companies of the country. The city of lights has deliberately been made city of darkness by the people who are sitting at the helm of the affairs.

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