50 megawatts solar energy plant: German power co to start construction work next month

Azur Solar, a German power company, is going to start construction work of 50 megawatt solar energy plant with an investment of $125 million by next month. Muhammad Younus Dagah, secretary investment, Sindh Board of Investment (SBOI) told Business Recorder on Tuesday that the Azur Solar would start the construction work of first ever-solar Independent Power Project with an investment of $125 million in December.
He said the solar energy plant would initially generate one megawatt, which would be extended to 50megawatt within six months. To a question, he dispelled the impression that the German Company would provide solar electricity at higher rate, saying that the company has already started negotiations with National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) in this connection. He further said the SBOI is also striving to persuade the Azur Solar to manufacture its solar plant by using local resources, which would not only help in providing cheaper electricity to the inhabitants of Sindh province but would also offer lucrative business opportunity to the steel industry. For the purpose, he said, the SBOI is presently busy to create a strong liaison between the German company and steel manufacturers.
Dagah said that Sindh government had given go-ahead signal to the German power company by allocating 150 acres of land at Dhabeji to commence the construction activity of 50 MW solar power plant at the earliest. Moreover, he said, the SBOI recently convened meeting with the Director Azur Solar, Uwe Stormer, Dr Sikandar Kohler and Dr Christian Bouda to finalise the modalities of the project.
He further said that the German Power Company was keen to perform its social responsibility by establishing ten short-capacity solar power plants in collaboration with the Sindh government at under-privileged Badin district to illuminate 10 schools of the district. It was also worth mentioning here that the Azur Solar had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SBOI in April 2010 to invest $125 million for establishing 50megawatt solar power plant in Sindh.