Energy

Provincial energy minister says private companies can get land for $1 per acre per year on 20 years’ lease

The Punjab government has decided to allocate 5,000 acres of land for private solar power projects in Cholistan. The land will be allotted to the solar power sector investors at a nominal rate of $1 per acre per year for 20 years lease. Out of this 5,000 acres land, 2,500 acres land is located in Maroot, district Bahawalnagar and the rest 2,500 acres land is located on Din Garh Road, tehsil Yazman district Bahawalpur.
Read More »LAHORE: 5000 acres of land allocated for solar power projects

By Dr Farid A Malik

Coal has met the energy needs of humans for centuries. The decline of this fuel resource started in the mid 20th century when large reservoirs of oil and gas were discovered. Despite the environmental degradation by the combustion of coal, most large economies of the world are dependent on its use. Countries like USA, China, India, Malaysia, Russia and Germany produce power by burning coal. The Koyoto Protocol has put a lid on the direct use of this fossil fuel. The entire civilised world, including Pakistan but excluding USA, are signatories to this agreement. As US meets around 56 percent of its energy needs by direct combustion of coal, it refused to be dictated by the Koyoto Protocol. Instead the Obama Read More »Use of coal in the 21st century

* Dr Mubarakmand says gas from coal project was going waste because government didn’t help establish power plant to use the produced gas

Daily Times report by Shabbir Sarwar

Nuclear scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand, who is also Planning Commission of Pakistan’s Science and Technology Member, has said that two nuclear power plants each having capacity of 350 megawatts will be completed by 2015 while efforts are being made to get foreign funding for another two nuclear power plants of 1,000 MW to overcome to the energy crisis in the country.Read More »LAHORE: Energy conference focuses on challenges and solutions

An Iran based global company has offered immediate solution to the Pakistan’s prevalent power crisis, which has pulled economy down and crippled general life.

Iran Power Plant Projects Management Company (MAPNA), the sixth largest power Company in the world said it could bridge gap between demand and supply of electricity within months.
Read More »Iranian company offers quick solution to Pakistan’s energy crisis

Government has decided to convert all the existing and new power plants on the specification of Thar coal versus earlier plan of converting these on imported coal.

In a decision, government has decided a coal off-take agreement would be signed between Generation Company (GENCO) and Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC).
Read More »Pakistan Government decides to use Thar coal for all power plants

 By Iqbal Sheikh

Seldom, if ever, employers and employees (malik aur mazdoor) agree on anything. They have come together in the face of massive load shedding in having a common nemesis – the local Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). This mutual suffering and sorrow has brought them together away from their history of creative antagonism, at least for now. Losing a job in a power loom shed in Faisalabad is just the beginning of a powered slide into hell.
Read More »Impact of power crisis in Pakistan and the solution

 ‘Energy crisis has slashed GDP growth by 2-3%’

* ARL CEO emphasises urgent need for accelerating efforts for development of indigenous, cheaper energy resources

By Ijaz Kakakhel (Daily Times report)

Pakistan is faced with crippling energy crisis, which has resulted in slashing gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 2.0 to 3.0 percent.

This was stated by Attock Gen Limited (AGL) and Attock Refinery Limited Chief Executive Officer Adil Khattak during the first Coal Fuelled Power Generation Conference 2012. The conference was organised by AGL on Wednesday.
Read More »ISLAMABAD: Coal Fuelled Power Generation Conference 2012

By Hanif Khalid (The News Report)

The nation is likely to hear a historic good news before June next year. Pakistani will start getting electricity from Thar Coal for the first time in the history by the end of the current financial year 2012-2013, disclosed Dr Shabbir, the Managing Director of Planning Division’s Thar Coal Power Project, while talking to this correspondent.

 This electricity will be generated by using gas produced by Underground Coal Gasification (UCG), MD further stated.

For this revolution, the remaining amount of Rs900 million must be released by the Government of Pakistan in the beginning of second quarter of fiscal year 2012-2013. Ministry of Finance has released the first installment of Rs900 million on 27th August, 2012. This amount was allocated for the financial year 2011-2012. Due to the stubborn attitude of former Federal Secretary Planning, the amount of Rs900 million could not be released till the end of last financial year.Read More »ISLAMABAD: Thar Coal to generate 100MW electricity from next year

Up to 14,000MW being produced despite peek demand of 18,000MW

 Planning Commission’s member for energy terms shortfall a crisis of management

ISLAMABAD: India may claim the world’s biggest blackout, but in neighbouring Pakistan an endemic energy crisis blamed on years of mismanagement cripples the economy and makes millions of lives a daily misery.

Six weeks after the new prime minister in Islamabad promised the shortage would be his top priority, blackouts have reached a peak – reportedly up to 16 hours a day in urban areas and as much as 22 hours a day in the rural areas.

But with political posturing becoming more acute as the weak coalition stutters towards general elections, there is no quick end in sight.Read More »No end in sight for energy crisis in Pakistan