The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in its meeting here on Monday will consider 26 development projects worth billions of rupees. The meeting is expected to discuss overall economic situation of the country. Official sources told Business Recorder that an important energy sector project--interconnection of 6 independent power projects (IPPs), with national grid--is also on the agenda.
Interconnection of 6 IPPs with national grid (Phases-III) for power dispersal, worth Rs 1.680 billion including Rs 640 million as foreign exchange component (FEC), will also be presented in the meeting for approval. The 6 IPPs have been installed, and would add 1199 MW of electricity in the system by the year 2010-11.
Other items of the agenda include power distribution enhancement project phase-I: Islamabad Electricity Supply Company Limited (Iesco), worth Rs 2.610 billion including Rs 145.97 million FEC. The project would help in ensuring smooth and stable supply of electric power in line with the growing demand of domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural customers of Iesco. Under this project, the government has planned rehabilitation-capacitor installation in the company.
The schemes also include Energy Loss Reduction (ELR) program and bifurcation of existing feeders. The re-habilitation program envisages replacement of outdated and under-rated equipment at existing grid stations with the new one.
Sources said that Ecnec would approve similar projects of Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco), Multan Electric Supply Company (Mepco), Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco), Quetta Electric Suppy Company (Qesco), Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco), Electrification of villages in Dera Bugti, establishment of 43.5MW Jagran Hydropower Station Phase-2 district Neelum AJK and 14.4 MW Jhin Hydropower project, in District Muzafarabad.
The meeting will also consider faculty development program of Bahauddin Zakriya University Multan (100 PhD foreign scholarships) on the directives of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani..
Replacement of leased Paksat-1 with new GSO satellite, construction of new secretariat block at Constitution Avenue, Islamabad (revised), manufacturing of 530 new design railway bogies, replacement of old and obsolete signal gear from Lodhran-Khanewal-Shahdara Bagh main line section of Pakistan Railways, New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) acquisition of land (revised) are of the key projects to be considered by the Ecnec.
Sources said that Ecnec would also consider sewerage and water supply at Multan city (part-1), widening and improvement of Gujranwala bypass to Khanqah Dogran inter-change via Ajanianwala including bypass length 57.23 km, in District Gujranwala, construction of Multan southern bypass (dual carriage way) from LMQ road to Bahawalpur chowk including Railway underpass Multan (revised) and construction of balck-top road from Sui to Uch field (57 km).
Construction of Cherah dam, lining of distributaries and minors in Sindh province (revised), Bazai irrigation scheme NWFP (revised) and construction will also be considered by the Ecnec.