KARACHI, May 7: Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has welcomed a Korean firm’s offer of setting up a 300MW solar energy plant in Sindh, and assured it that all necessary infrastructure as well as facilities would be provided for the project.

He was briefed about the proposed project by a four-member delegation of the CX Korea Inc. led by its executive director, Ko Young Sun during a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House on Monday.

An official statement issued after the meeting said the chief minister informed the delegation that his government had already made arrangements for the required infrastructure and facilities to be offered to interested investors.

Mr Shah told the team that several Korean firms and groups were engaged in various projects being executed in the province.

The Korean delegation informed the chief minister that the company would initiate the project with the establishment of a 10MW solar energy plant. Gradually, the plant would generate 300MW.

Mr Sun explained that the plan would churn out 10MW electricity through solar energy by December this year and the production would gradually be enhanced to 100MW. It would start producing a maximum of 300MW by 2015, he added.

He informed Mr Shah that Korea, like Germany, had made significant progress in the solar energy sector and that his company was capable of meeting all official requirements and deadlines pertaining to the execution of the project.

He said that Kapco-Daewoo Engineering would be providing the finance for the purpose, adding that his company would require 1,200 acres of land for the project. He said that a four-acre piece of land was required to produce one megawatt electricity through solar energy.

The chief minister appreciated the Korean firm’s offer and hoped that solar energy would help the government overcome the energy crisis in the country.

Sindh Board of Investment Chairman Zubair Motiwala, Syed Feroz Shah, Ms Nasreen Ali and other officials concerned were present at the meeting.—APP