ISLAMABAD: The World Bank and Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) are reportedly holding talks on establishment of 300 MW floating solar project in Pakistan, well informed sources told Business Recorder.

A World Bank team will visit Pakistan from April 21 to April 30, 2022, to carry out an appraisal mission for the floating solar project. The mission will engage with the Wapda, Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), and Economic Affairs Division (EAD).

The objective of the mission is to appraise the project prepared by WAPDA for proposed financing by the World Bank.

The project will finance 300 MW of floating solar plants, which will work in hybrid-mode with hydropower plants in Tarbela-Ghazi-Barotha Complex and displace electricity from expensive peaking thermal power plants. The project will deploy the first floating solar plants in Pakistan.

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The World Bank team will comprise Gunjan Gautam (Senior Energy Specialist and Task Team Leader), Rikard Liden (Lead Energy Specialist and co-Task Team Leader), Imran ul Haq (Senior Social Development Specialist), Sana Ahmad (Environmental Specialist), Uzma Sadaf (Sr Procurement Specialist), Shafiq Hussain (Procurement Specialist), Noureen LNU (Financial Management Specialist), Mohammad Omar Khalid (Senior Consultant) to be supported by Amna W Mir (Senior Program Associate).

The World Team would hold a meeting with Wapda project management unit in Islamabad on April 22, 2022 (tomorrow) whereas meeting with the officials of Ministry of Water Resources is scheduled for April 23.

This would be followed by debriefing to EAD in Islamabad and technical discussions between EAD, Wapda and World Bank.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022