The Executive Committee of National Economic Council in its meeting held on Thursday approved important proposals relating to energy and communication. Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting.
At the outset, proposal from the ministry of water and power on evacuation of power from 1200 MW, RLNG-based combined cycle power plant at Balloki was discussed at length. The chair while according approval to the proposal at a rationalised cost of Rs 3433.90 million including FEC of 2030.48 million, remarked that possibility of foreign funding by IBRD may be explored for this project. He also observed that arrangements for foreign funding must be made well in advance for all projects requiring the same to avoid any difficulty or delay in undertaking such projects. This project, the meeting was informed, aimed at evacuation of 1200 MW power from proposed RLNG based combined cycle plant at Balloki in district Kasur to upcountry load centres by construction of 500 KV transmission line (40 KM) from the plant to Lahore South Grid Station.
The ECNEC discussed and approved the ministry of water & power’s proposal regarding Warsak Hydro Electric Power Station (second rehabilitation) project at a rationalised cost of Rs 22,254.230 million with FEC of Rs 11,283.519 million. The rehabilitation works under phase–II would address the main existing problems of the Warsak site to enhance generation capacity from 193 MW (as of 2013) to actual 243 MW.
Another proposal from the ministry of water and power regarding construction of Basol Dam, 54 KM North of OrmaraTown, Gawadar was also approved. The total cost of the project is Rs 9,636 million without FEC, with cost sharing (on equal basis) by the federal and provincial governments of the water supply and conveyance system amounting to Rs 2,795.68 million. The main objective of the project is to provide irrigation water to an area of 11,638 acres through efficient pipeline conveyance system. Under the project construction of a network of lined water courses in the command area of the dam will be carried out. Further, the project would ensure water supplies to population of OrmaraTown and its surroundings as well as Jinnah Naval Base.