KARACHI, Feb 2: Sindh is framing new ‘energy policy’ to ensure provision of electricity to its cent per cent population by 2020.The policy aims at providing enabling environment for investors, would soon be unfolded with emphasis on harnessing traditional and renewable energy source to transform Sindh into an energy surplus province, said Provincial Minister for Electric Power Shazia Marri on Thursday.

Speaking at the 5th International Conference on Power Generation Conference the minister said it was envisaged that at least 10 per cent electricity generation should be done through use of wind, solar and biomass by 2015.

She said that the cap on generation capacity of provincial power plant had been removed under the new national power policy and provinces were now free to set up plants of any capacity to meet their needs.

She said that the government was considering the production of biogas from sugar mills distilleries. Marri pointed out that Chinese companies were preparing a paper for power generation through low-head hydel projects at main canals in Sindh as had been done in Germany and other European countries.

Marri said Sindh had cleared all its dues of Wapda and it was the episode of the past. She emphasised the need for exploring clean, inexpensive, and environment-friendly, and renewable options for electricity generation including the wind and solar resources so that power generation needs of people could be met in the shortest possible time and best possible manner. She said the Sindh had been actively making progress towards exploiting the abundantly available renewable wind power resource in the province and under this initiative; the province would be able to generate 500-MW electricity through wind energy by March 2013.

Chairman Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) Zubair Motiwala said that 20 per cent return on coal projects was ensured and added that at least one coal-fired power plant would be commissioned by 2015-16. He pointed out that 19 companies have submitted a bank guarantee of $300,000 with the government for setting up renewable energy project in Sindh.

Motiwala informed that the government has canceled more than 33,000 acres of land in wind corridor which was allotted to wind power projects that could not pursue their units.

Other speakers noted that half-hearted energy policies cannot enable Pakistan to sail out from current energy crisis. They also called for full utilisation of existing power generation capacity in the country with the help of effective overhauling and refurbishing of thermal units.