Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Wednesday allotted land to NBT Power Pakistan (Pvt) limited for 500 MWs Wind Power Project in district Thatta, an official statement said. Addressing the provisional land allotment ceremony, the Sindh CM said it would be the biggest Wind Power Project of Asia and Sindh would eventually emerge as the biggest power house of Pakistan.
While welcoming the guests from NBT, a Norway-based company and their partner Malakoff, a Malaysian company, he assured them the Sindh government’s full support under the new Land Allotment Policy. Syed Qaim Ali Shah said his government would guarantee the provision of security in the area in coordination with the management of companies.
Speaking at the occasion, Chairman Sindh Board of Investment (BOI) Muhammad Zubair Motiwala explained the features of the project.
He said that NBT had committed for the completion of the project in the shortest possible time. “Looking at the volume of the project and the profile of the company, we expect that physical civil work on ground will start in 12 months,” he added.
He also said that only the area under footprints would be leased to the investors while rest of the land was to remain in possession of the government. He told the audience that under the old policy for 500 MWs, 12500 acres of land were required. “Under the new policy we have provisionally allotted only 908 acres of land in strips, which is as per the best international practices,” he said.
This was also informed that at present land had been allotted to 30 local as well as international investors to install power generating capacity of more than 1800MWs and at least 800 MWs would be added to the national grid by June 2013.
Addressing the occasion, Secretary Investment Ms Naheed Shah Durrani told the audience that NBT had very recently emerged as a major player in the renewable energy sector.
She added that Malakoff, the leading IPPs on Multiple fuel technology with generation capacity of 5020 MWs in Malaysia alone and thousands of MWs in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Algeria, was the major implementation partner in the 500 MWs Wind Power Project with NTB.
She said that looking at the experience and background in the energy sector the government of Sindh had also under taken discussion with Malakoff to consider installation of 1000 MWs Thar Coal Field Power Plant in Sindh preferably in Thar area. The ceremony was attended by Minister Information Sharjeel Enam Memon, the chief secretary Sindh, secretary information, senior member BOR, member land utilization and others.
