The Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) on Friday issued a letter of support (LOS) to China Power Hub Generation Company (Pvt) Limited (CPHGCL) for development of 1320 MW imported coal-based power generation project at Hub, Balochistan.
The project is being sponsored by Hub Power Company Limited and China Power International Holdings. Secretary Water and Power Mohammad Younus Dagha and other senior officials of the PPIB and the ministry of water and power witnessed the ceremony. The document was signed by PPIB Managing Director Shah Jahan Mirza and company’s CEO of CPHGCL Mr Zhao Yonggang,.
Being included as ‘priority project’ under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) programme, this project assumes further importance. The project shall be instrumental in socio-economic uplift of the remote area of Hub besides generating employment opportunities for the local population. The project development is progressing at rapid pace and it is expected that it will come online by 2019.
In order to get sufficient and affordable electricity in short time, the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) has been mandated by the government to process power generation projects utilising coal, hydro and R-LNG through private sector. As a result of efficient processing by the PPIB, so far two coal-fired power projects of 2640 MW which include 1320 MW power project by Sinohydro Resources/Al-Mirqab Capital Qatar at Port Qasim, Sindh, and 1320 MW power project by Huaneng Shandong Ruyi at Sahiwal, Punjab, have already started construction activities. The 2 x 330 MW Thar coal based Engro Powergen at Thar Block-II, Sindh after achieving financial close has entered into the construction phase. With proactive support of the PPIB, all the project-related activities were timely completed which lead to the ground-breaking of the project recently on 11th of April, 2016.
The PPIB also holds the honour of paving way for hydro IPPs in the country through successful completion of 84 MW New Bong Escape Hydropower Project by HUBCO group. Currently, 147 MW Patrind and 102 MW Gulpur Hydropower projects are under construction which are expected to be completed by April 2017 and October 2019 respectively.
