Sindh Minister for Environment and Alternate Energy Asakri Taqvi said on Tuesday that the government can cancel the land lease of those wind power projects, which failed to show progress in a given time. He was speaking at the 2nd international conference on power generation POWERGEN 2008 at a local hotel.
He said that Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has informed him during a recent briefing on wind power at Governor House that land of those projects will be given to other interested windmills. The minister said that Sindh Governor has expressed disappointment over the delay in the implementation of wind power projects who had been given land on coastal belt.
Taqvi said the Governor has asked him to submit a report in ten days about the progress of windmill projects. He pointed out that more than two dozen wind power projects have been granted land to generate 1000 MW of electricity but only one investor Zorlu Energy belonging to Turkey has started work at the site.
He noted that lack of will on the part of windmill investors was the major reason for delay in the implementation of power projects. Referring to delays in the finalisation of power tariff by Nepra, the minister said that the Authority should adopt more realistic approach in power tariff decision.
He was of the opinion that tariff should attract investment in power sector rather than discouraging investors. He urged the Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) to prepare feasibilities for encouraging solar energy in Sindh as the oil was not a viable option was its sky rocketing prices.
The minister said that use of fossil fuel has badly damaged environment in the country and added that the cost of environmental degradation has surged to Rs 365 billion annually. He said the cost of indoor air pollution was estimated at Rs 67 billion, urban air pollution is Rs 65 billion and lead exposure cost is Rs 45 billion. Askari Taqvi said that 22,700 deaths were caused due to airborne particulate matter of fossil fuel burning.
Similarly, indoor air pollution causes the deaths of more than 30,000 children per annum, he added. Earlier, chief executive of AEDB Arif Alauddin in his keynote address said that wind hydel power projects were costing 7 to 8 cents per kilowatts whereas thermal power projects touch 38 to 40 cents per kilowatts.
Ibrahim Saeed of Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) pointed out that 56 projects worth $14 billion to produce 15000 MW were in the pipeline. Chairman of Associate Group Iqbal Z Ahmed suggested to create a dedicated fund of $300 to 500 million to encourage alternate energy projects over thermal energy.
He said government should give a deal to new coal power energy projects so that they could not refuse the offer. During technical sessions, Member Thar Coal Energy Board, vice chancellor Hamdard University Dr Naseem Ahmed, consultant and chairman Pakistan Academy of management Science Dr Sajid Husain, chairman PSO Yasin Malik, Romeo Pacudan of GTZ, Rolf Anderson of PPR also spoke on the occasion.
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