Pakistan: Over 106MW wind energy to come online next month

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded 56.4 megawatts wind power project Jhampir is expected to start generating electricity from next month as the implementing company has completed all necessary work in this regard.

This is in addition to the project of Fauji Fertiliser Company Energy Limited (FFCEL) that is likely to become operational from next week and add about 50 megawatts electricity in the national electricity transmission system from next week.

In total more than 106 megawatts electricity would be included in the national power transmission system from next month when the wind energy projects of FFCEL and Zorlu Energy would become operational and start generating electricity.

The ADB is financing $143 million Jhampir windmill project, which is being executed by Zorlu Energy Pakistan, the local subsidiary of a Turkish company, on the land of 1148 acres at Jhampir in Thatta district of Sindh province.

As many as 34 wind turbines have been erected on the wind farm with power generation capacity of 1.8 megawatts each turbine.

The only formality for launching the power generation operation is the approval from National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC).

“We have completed all the work on the project and are waiting for the approval to start operation, from next month,” Country Zorlu Energy Mumtaz Hassan told journalists at the project site.

The other formality is the inspection by independent engineers, who are likely to visit the site next week, he added.

“On our side we have completed the testing and next week independent engineers will be here to inspect the project and issue certificate,” he said.

He said that the electricity of the wind farm would be included in the national grid through National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC). On the occasion, Project Direct Murad said that best technology has been utilised for the development of Jhampir wind energy project.

He said that Zorlu can develop more wind energy project to generate electricity from this renewable source of energy.

The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) played a crucial role in helping Zorlu Energy to initiate this project. In his detailed briefing, Deputy Director AEDB Naeem Memon said that Ghoro-Ketti Bandar wind corridor has potential to generate 40,000 to 50,000MW electricity from this free and clean source of energy.

The Ghoro-Ketti Bandar wind corridor spreads in about 110/70 kilometers in the Sindh and Balochistan province and has the vast potential of wind energy generation.

He said that as many as 24 projects have been identified for the generation of the wind power and many companies have been approaching AEDB for developing these projects. Work on some of these projects is already going while others would be launched after formal procedures.

He said that the country would also get carbon credit for about 95,000 tons that would be shared between seller and the purchaser. It is pertinent to mention here that Asian Development Bank is funding several projects in Sindh province aimed at poverty reduction and energy development.