The Pakistani minister of water and power says Islamabad is in negotiations with Iran for increasing the imports of electricity from the Islamic Republic to overcome a severe energy crisis.Khawaja Muhammad Asif told reporters on Wednesday that the Pakistani government is considering the import of 1,174 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Iran.
The Pakistani minister went on to say that the feasibility study of the project, submitted by a consortium of consultants, was endorsed by Iran Power Generation and Transmission Company (TAVANIR) and Pakistans National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) on May 31.
Asif noted that the case has been forwarded to the Pakistani Ministry of Water and Power for the approval of the Economic Coordination Committee before being submitted to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), which is responsible for regulating electricity in Pakistan.
Pakistan is battling chronic electricity shortage, which is inflaming public anger and stifling industrial output, as power outages can last eight to 10 hours a day in cities, with much more frequent cuts in rural areas.
Pakistan is currently importing 74 MW of electricity from Iran for bordering areas of Balochistan. Electricity imports from Iran reportedly cost Pakistan around USD 3 million a month.
Pakistans electricity is generated, transmitted, distributed, and sold by two vertically integrated public sector utilities -- Water and Power Development Authority, responsible for all of Pakistan except Karachi, and the Karachi Electric Supply Corp -- along with roughly 20 independent power producers. None have developed substantive solutions to the countrys ongoing power crisis.
By Press TV
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