The World Bank (WB) has assured that it will consider financial assistance for large scale hydroelectric and wind power projects as well as continuing its assistance for ongoing water and power sector projects. This assurance was provided by the Country Director World Bank Rachid Benmessaoud, to the Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar during a meeting on Friday. Benmessaoud said that WB was already providing financial assistance for electricity distribution and transmission improvement project (EDTIP) which was likely to be completed within the prescribed time frame. The project would help improve the transmission and distribution network in the country by replacing the existing infrastructure. An allocation of $15.6 million was for technical assistance with regards to institutional strengthening and capacity building of power distribution companies. A pilot project for installation of advance metering infrastructure, smart meters, is also being funded by WB. The Minister asked PEPCO to immediately complete the procedure for hiring of international procurement adviser and smart metering project so that the disbursement should be started at the earliest. Benmessaoud said that the Tarbela extension project was signed with WAPDA which would generate additional 1300 MW and completed within three years. He assured that the bank would take up more hydel and wind power projects for assistance to resolve the energy crisis. The minister sought financing for various mega hydel power projects, as WB support was important for the power sector. He said that the government was taking all possible measures to resolve the energy crisis. He said the power sector reforms were underway, zero tolerance policy for defaulters, recoveries were being improved, upfront tariff for wind power, and operation and maintenance of GENCOs through private sector.
