Planning Minister seeks exact electricity demand of Gwadar Free Zone

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 29 (Gwadar Pro) - Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday asked China Overseas Ports Holding Co. (COPHC) to provide the exact demand for electricity for Gwadar Free Zone and share a 10-year plan for electricity consumption by Gwadar Free Zone Company in order to establish exact electricity utilization of the 300 MW Coal Fired Power Project in Gwadar.

The Minister made these remarks while chairing a meeting to review progress on the 300 MW Coal Fired Power plant.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman COPHC, Chairman Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and other relevant stakeholders. The project was conceived under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC) initiative in 2016, which will cater to the needs of some 150,000 local people by the end of 2023, the statement said.

The project is aimed at improving reliability of local power supply to help gradually resolve problems in current economic development and urban construction in Gwadar region, which is being restricted by the shortage of power, the Minister said. ‘The government is committed to providing electricity for Gwadar Free Zone,” the Planning Minister said.

It is noted that all major projects under CPEC in Gwadar, including Gwadar Power Plant, New Gwadar International Airport Project, China-Pak Friendship Hospital, China-Pak Technical and Vocational Institute in Gwadar, Gwadar East-bay Expressway, Gwadar Free Zone, and Gwadar Port will become shining pearls in the region, he said.

The Minister further said that the government is already working on a project of two transmission lines from Iran, which will fulfill the demand of electricity. Therefore, the exact requirement of electricity is essential to pursue the project, said the Minister. He also asked the Chinese company to share the long-term electricity consumption plan for Gwadar Free Zone.