Power sector projects: Wapda asks government to allocate Rs 77.699 billion in PSDP

The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has asked the federal government to allocate Rs 77.699 billion in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2007-08 for power sector projects, sources in Finance Ministry told Business Recorder here on Thursday.
Out of total proposed allocation of Rs 77.699 billion, local component would be Rs 59.846 billion while foreign loan component would be Rs 17.853 billion, the sources added. They said that out of this allocation, an amount of Rs 36.631 billion, including foreign loan component of Rs 10.344 billion, has been earmarked for the vital hydel projects.
These projects are; Khan Khwar, Allai Khwar, Dubair Khwar, Jinnah Bunji, Golen Gol hydropower projects and Diamer Bhasha hydropower project, rehabilitation of Jabban hydropower station, transmission arrangements for power dispersal of Ghazi Barotha hydropower project, Muzarffargarh-Gatti 500 KV T/L, upgradation of NPCC Islamabad, new 500/200 KV grid station at Sahiwal along with 220 KV system expansion, new 220 KV grid station at Khuzdar/200 KV Dadu Khuzdar, T/L, 220 KV at Ghazi road Lahore with 220 KV D/C T/L 132 KV expansion system, 220 KV G/S at Kassowal with 132KV expansion system, scoured metering system at delivery point, power transmission enhancement project (19 sub-projects of 500 and 220 KV sub-station and T/L, 6th STG project Discos and DOP and ELR (Discos).
The sub-sector wise break up of the demand under PSDP/ ADP for the 2007-2008, suggests that Rs 9.858 billion has been sought for hydel generation of which Rs 4.736 billion would be arranged through local resources while Rs 5.123 billion from foreign loans.
The sources said that total proposed allocation for the improvement of transmission system was Rs 23 billion, of which Rs 17.768 billion to be arranged from local resources, while Rs 5.257 billion from foreign loans. For the improvement of distribution system of Wapda, an amount of Rs 5.5 billion has been proposed using local resources.
They further said that the proposed power sector ADP would cost Rs 39.324 billion, which included Rs, 31.841 billion local and Rs 7.482 billion foreign exchange component. According to sources, the federal government was also providing funds to the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) for improving system network and reducing T&D losses.
Out of total Rs 13.698 billion, a sum of Rs 9.518 billion had so far been released to the KESC and the project was expected to be completed by the end of current year, they continued.
As a result of these measures, the government hopes that not only the power supply of KESC would be improved, T&D losses and electricity pilferage would also be forestalled, which would bring outages, tripping and load shedding fairly under control, for the relief of people and industries facing power break down in Karachi, the sources concluded.