KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh Monday attended the groundbreaking ceremony at KE’s KKI Grid.

This is the 73rd grid in KE’s network and provides a link with the National Grid, giving Karachi further access to additional, affordable electricity.

This is also in line with KE’s ongoing commitment to improve the reliability and stability of its infrastructure. CEO Siemens, Markus Strohmeier, former Administrator Murtaza Wahab and other senior representatives of the Sindh Government were also present along with KE’s senior leadership.

The KKI Grid will be the third interconnection between the utility and the National Grid. In total, these interconnections will be capable of channeling up to 2050 MW of electricity towards Karachi in the coming decade.

Acknowledging the KE’s commitment to the megacity, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah remarked, “When we sit together and work on the challenges, solutions are found. We should move forward with this spirit for the betterment of the common man. Sindh Government is working closely with KE to ensure that our province and its major cities thrive. The KKI Grid will promote industrial development in Karachi and boost economic activities in the megacity and adjacent areas while generating more jobs and provide opportunities to take the economy further. 500 kV or high voltage grids are massive-scale projects, but KE is using advanced technology which is enabling them to construct the grid in an innovative and efficient manner. This kind of ingenuity is what we have come to expect from KE, and we look forward to seeing them play a positive role in Pakistan’s progress as we move on.”

“This grid will play a very important part in the development of the economy of Pakistan because Karachi is the hub of industry,” Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh said. He also spoke about the collaboration between KE and Government of Sindh to add 350 MW of green renewable energy into the mix in partnership with the World Bank. These steps are in line with KE’s 30 by 30 vision to transform Karachi’s energy landscape. The minister further added saying his office and the Chief Minister are always ready to offer their help and support for further projects.

Appreciating the support from the Chief Minister and Sindh Energy Ministry, CEO K-Electric Moonis Alvi stated “The KKI Grid is a testament to the partnership between KE and Government of Sindh. I thank them for allocating the 40 acres of land for the construction of this modernized grid. I am also grateful to the technical teams of Siemens who are working around the clock to complete the project. We are all working for the betterment of Karachi, Sindh, and Pakistan. The additional supply, along with the 900 MW of efficient energy from our upcoming BQPS-III plant, will light up more homes, energize our industries, and move us towards a brighter, prosperous future.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022