Defending RPPs

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Reference report on above topic and statement of Raja Ashraf, former Minister for Water and Power, regarding rental power projects (RPPs) and alleged corruption in their purchase etc. His statement is not based on facts. The learned minister claimed that “…there was no alternative to overcome power shortage in the short term.” He did not say how many years he meant by “short term?”
In dealing with water and power projects “short term” usually implies 20-25 years. In the presence of ready-to-build Kalabagh dam (KBD) he was wrong to say that “there was no alternative.” If implemented on a fast track, as RPPs, KBD could begin electricity supply within 5-6 years.
Soon after becoming minister he stated in the press that KBD was buried forever. Why was he in such a hurry to bury a gigantic project of vital national importance? Then he began assuring that loadshedding would be ended by December 2009 for good. In the meanwhile, he began negotiations for purchase of RPPs despite serious objections by Asian Development Bank. The December 2009 came and went by. Loadshedding, instead of ending, increased several fold. Presumably, it was by design. It strengthened Raja’s hands for earliest installation of RPPs.
Ashraf lamented that the policy on IPPs introduced by the PPP in 1994 was criticised by PML( N). It was not only PML(N) but more vocal was the media because of cases of rampant corruption surfacing one after the other.
The learned minister termed “inauguration of Bhasha dam by Musharraf (as) fake…. PPP government had initiated work on the Bhasha dam.” It is like kettle telling the pot black. Fact of the matter is that hapless people of Pakistan have been defrauded again this time by the PPP.
Furthermore, he is wrong in asserting “…that most countries were relying on RPPs to overcome power shortage…” Most countries use 70 percent of hydro-electricity and only 30 percent thermal. I have never heard the word RPP in my over 60 years’ professional life here and abroad as Chief Technical Advisor UNO.
BASHIR A MALIK
Lahore