Gilani for generating energy through alternate sources

Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani stressed the need for generating energy through alternate sources to meet the country's energy needs, here on Tuesday. Talking to a delegation of a joint venture of Norwegian and Chinese companies at PM House, the Prime Minister said, Pakistan has multiple alternate sources to produce electricity, which were beneficial in terms of low production cost besides being environment friendly.
Gilani said that the mega projects were already initiated by the government but they would take certain time to complete, while the alternate energy projects need less time for completion, which would be greatly supplement of the government's efforts to reduce electricity's demand and fill the supply gap.
The Prime Minister assured that the government would ensure every possible facility to encourage investors in energy sector and it was for the same reason that investors had been extended attractive incentives in this sector. He said the government had allowed the provincial governments to set up electricity power projects to meet their needs.
The Prime Minister directed the Federal Ministry of Water and Power, the provincial governments and all stakeholders to extend all possible assistances to the Norwegian/ Chinese investors in the completion of their project. Gilani said that he would advise the Sindh Government to speed up the process to allocate suitable land at wind corridor allowing prompt initiation of the project. He ensured full facilitation in this regard and asked the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) to complete the formalities and issue Letter Of Interest to NBT at the earliest.
The Prime Minister stated that such projects in the remote areas of Pakistan like Gharo and Jamshoro in Thatta District would bring about a revolution in the area both in creation of jobs as well as to generate economic activities, which would help to reduce poverty.
The Executive Chairman of the joint venture Arne Myre said that the incentives given by the Government of Pakistan for setting up Wind Power Projects in Thatta District are quite healthy and attractive. He assured that the 500 MW wind farms would be completed in specified period. The first phase of 250 MW Wind Power Projects, he mentioned, would start functioning till December 2012 while the second phase in the minimum possible time soon after that.
Arne Myre said that the co-operation being extended by the government and its organisations would definitely help to accelerate the process of implementing the projects. He added that their company owned 27 percent shares of Nordic Wind Power, which was one of the big names in the wind turbine manufacturers in the world. He said that their company also intended to set up hydro power projects in Pakistan.
M/s NBT Wind Power Project (Pvt) Ltd, subsidiary of NBT AS, a Norwegian based company had expressed its interest to set up 500 MW Wind Power Project in Pakistan by investing about one billion dollar in the alternative energy sector. Presenting their business and investment plan to the government, the Chairman NBT AS, apprised that the company has already applied for issuance of Letter of Interest for 500 MW and expressed that after issuance of LoI, the company will complete 250 MW wind project till December, 2012.