''Power from small producers to be purchased''

Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Tariq Hameed has said in order to provide electricity to all the villages till 2007, government would purchase all the power generated by small producers at reasonable price.
While addressing a seminar on ''Punjab Power Policy'' here on Saturday, Tariq Hameed however made it clear that small power generating units would never be an alternate to the big dams. He was of the firm view that only large dams could help achieve quantum jump in electricity generation with a view to filling gap between the demand and supply.
He said the Wapda was ready to purchase electricity from private power producers, established at low-heads in the canal system. He said the Wapda would be able to plug in power generated by small power units from almost anywhere in the province.
He said the demand of electricity has been increased from 1,000 to 1,100 Megawatt (MW) per annum and by the next five years it would cross 5,000 MW mark. He maintained the authority wanted to get 1,000 MW electricity from small power producers.
Answering a question about the Kalabagh Dam, he said the final report prepared by Technical Committee Chairman had been submitted to the Ministry of Water and Power and after getting final approval from the government, the development work would be started on the proposed dam.
To another question, he said the Wapda negotiated with an Iranian power generation company for purchasing 100 MW for Gwadar. He said the Iranian Company would lay down the transmission line up to Pakistani border and from there, 100-kilometers long transmission line would be set up by the Wapda. He however, said the negotiations were underway on finalising tariff.
Speaking on this occasion, provincial Minister for Power Armghan Subhani assured the private sector all out support of government for establishing power units in the province. He said the government would provide necessary facilities to the investors in this regard. He said the Punjab government was in process of finalising power policy, enabling private sector to establish small power units at canals.