Dawn
Published Date: May 23, 2014
Import of electricity not feasible for Pakistan
The import of electricity from Central Asian upstream
countries is not feasible for Pakistan as it involves huge investments
of over $2 billion for transmission line and price issue.
This
was stated by Deputy Director for Chinese and Central Asian Studies in
Kazakhstan Farkhod Aminjonov at a dialogue on ‘Trans-Boundary
Cooperation in Energy Sector’ here on Thursday.
The event was
organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in
cooperation with CUTS International and FES, India.
The speaker
listed four challenges in import of electricity from Central Asian
countries — electricity can only be imported in summers, internal
issues between upstream countries (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) and
downstream countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) over
construction of dam and flows of water, huge transmission line
investment of over $2 billion and the Chinese factor.
Mr Farkhod
said it will be difficult for Pakistan and other countries to compete
with China in import of electricity from upstream countries.
“China
is a direct competitor and it has created the largest energy pipeline
and grand strategy in this regard. China has already invested hugely in
oil and also started building transmission line for import of
electricity, leaving minor chances for South Asian to import from
Central Asia,” he explained.
He also said TAPI project may not materialise soon because of energy shortage.
“It’s
not a peace pipe line. The security risk of Afghanistan and competing
together (India-Pakistan-Afghanistan) from other competitors like China
over the purchase of electricity,” he added.
Federal Minister
for Commerce Khurram Dastagir Khan said a number of energy projects
like KASA 1000 from Tajikistan are in the pipeline, but these are
subject to peace in FATA and Afghanistan.
The minister informed
that the TAPI project is in progress and an electricity grid between
Pakistan and India is under construction.
SDPI Deputy Executive
Director Dr Vaqar Ahmed said that the business community in the whole
region is on the same page and now it’s time to materialise past
dreams. He stressed the need to bridge the gap between the government,
civil society, and business community.
Source:http://www.dawn.com/news/1108052/import-of-electricity-not-feasible-for-pakistan