The 56.4 Megawatt Asian Development Bank (ADB) Funded Wind Power Project Jhampir would generate electricity from January 2013. A project of Fauji Fertilizer Company Energy Limited (FFCEL) would also be made operational from next week and it would feed 50 Megawatt of electricity in the national electricity transmission system. In total more than 106 Megawatts of electricity would be credited into the national power transmission system from next.
The ADB is financed the $143 million Jhampir windmill project and it was developed by Zorlu Energy Pakistan, the local subsidiary of a Turkish company. Jahmpir project is spread over 1148 acres at Jhampir of Thatta district in Sindh. A total of 34 wind turbines with power generation capacity of 1.8 megawatt each have been erected till date. The only formality left before inaugurating the power generation operations is a pending approval from National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC). Zorlu Energy’s Mumtaz Hassan said that “we have completed all the work on the project and are waiting for the approval to start operation, from next month”. An inspection team of independent engineers would inspect the site next week. Mumtaz added that “on our side we have completed the testing and next week independent engineers will be here inspect the project and issue the certificate.”
Project Direct Mr. Murad said that lastest technology had been utilized for the development of Jhampir Wind Energy Project. He said that Zorlu can develop more wind energy projects to generate electricity from this renewable source.
The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) was pivotal in assisting Zorlu Energy to initiate this project. AEDB Deputy Director Naeem Memon said that Ghoro-Ketti Bandar wind corridor has a potential to generate 40,000 to 50,000MW electricity from this free and clean source of energy. He told that another, Ghoro-Ketti Bandar wind corridor spreads across 110/70 kilometers in the Sindh and Balochistan province. He said that as many as 24 projects have been identified for wind and power generation and many companies had been approached AEDB for developing these projects. He said that the country would also get carbon credits for about 95,000 tons that would be shared between seller and the purchaser.
It is pertinent to mention that Asian Development Bank is also funding several projects in Sindh province aimed at poverty reduction and energy development. The major projects include Sindh Costal Community Development Project (CCDP) launched to reduce poverty for rural households in Sindh Province by guaranteeing ecologically sustainable income opportunities and access to services for poor residents in eight coastal talukas of Thatta and Badin Districts.
