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Habibullah, Uch power projects completed

LAILA A ALI

QUETTA: Two independent power projects... Habibullah Coastal near Quetta completed at a cost of over US $ 109 million to generate 142 new and Uch Power project near Dera Murad Jamali completed at a cost of more than US $ 600 million to generate 586 mw. These two projects not only made Balochistan self-sufficient in its electricity requirements but also exportable power surplus, official sources claimed here on Friday.

According to these sources, Balochistan's total power requirement per day stands at 450 mw a Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) presently meeting provincial power demands, is also in a position to draw about 1,000 mw from the national grid through transmission lines, of these, from two 220 kv Guddu-Sibi, two 132 ku Guddu-Sibi, one 132 kv Dera Ghazi Khan-Loralai and one 66 kv Larkana-Ustamohammad transmission lines.

Moreover Wapda's own power plant at Shaikhmanda near Quetta is capable of generating 45 mw as such the province has three times more than its real requirements, but still major parts of the province are without dependable power due to non availability of transmission lines and adequate transmission system.

According to these sources since the take over of the army and better management of Quesco by Brig Agha Ahmad Gul, power supply system with existing transmission set up, has shown substantial improvement. Eight power houses have been set for the supply of electricity to the remote areas of Makran division.

Asked about Habibullah Coastal Power project near Quetta and Uch Power project near Dera Murad Jamali, these sources said both these power houses are based on gas abundantly available in Balochistan.