LAHORE, July 24: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) and the Punjab government have agreed to set up large power plants in Karachi to produce 3,000 megawatts of electricity through coal.

Aptma members would not only be the shareholders of these plants by investing equity but also be end consumers of the power generated.

The idea of ‘Large Power Producers (LPPs)’ was floated by Aptma leadership during a meeting with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday. Aptma’s 24-member delegation included acting chairman Wisal A. Monnoo, Group Leader Gohar Ejaz, Punjab Chairman Shahzad Ali Khan, and the International Trade Committee convener. The Punjab government’s Energy Task Force member Amir Fayyaz, S. M. Tanveer and others attended the meeting that discussed short-, medium- and long-term solutions to the energy crisis.

Gohar Ejaz gave a detailed presentation on the association’s strategy to nail down the energy crisis and bring the closed capacities back in operation, providing jobs to 15 million people, lifting 13 million bales of cotton from farmers and keeping exports intact in a highly competitive environment.

As a the short-term solution, Ejaz urged the CM to ensure hourly gas supply to the Captive Power Plants (CPPs) keeping in view short and uninterrupted power supply to the prime users to revive closed capacity of Punjab’s textile industry. He said only five per cent of the total industry was the prime user of electricity and it was exempted from loadshedding in the past.

The CM was receptive, positive and ready to resolve energy issues of the textile industry without delay. He was all praise for the solution-oriented approach of the Aptma leadership and particularly appreciated the proposal of hourly gas supply to the CPPs. He also gave a commitment to exempt prime electricity users from loadshedding at the earliest and gas to the CPPs from January onwards.

Shahbaz also agreed to accompany Aptma members to a meeting with the Ministry of Water and Power to ensure exemption to the prime users.

Regarding medium-term solutions, Ejaz suggested speeding up work on LNG import from all possible destinations. He also highlighted the industry’s woes about gas availability during December, January and February when the industry would be lifting cotton from farmers.

The CM assured the Aptma delegation of uninterrupted gas supply during the cotton-lifting period and also agreed on speeding up work on the import of LNG to meet the country’s needs.

As a long-term measure, Amir Fayyaz explained to the chief minister the idea of ‘Large Power Producers (LPPs)’ that should be installed in coastal areas along with the CSP system for environment-friendly generation of electricity. The cost of electricity would not be more than Rs8 per unit, he said.

Shahbaz said supply of gas and electricity to the textile sector would be ensured on equitable basis and there was no question of injustice. The government was taking steps on war-footing basis to overcome energy crisis and cooperation of investors was of vital importance.

The government was working on different power generation projects expeditiously and a programme had been evolved for holding energy conference in Lahore on July 29. He said besides traditional methods the government was also working on power generation from alternative sources while negotiations had been held with the Qatari government for import of LNG.

He said there were vast opportunities of electricity generation in Pakistan. He said the Sui gas department would also have to build its capacity and its authorities should evolve a workable plan with the consultation of Aptma office-bearers for the supply of gas to industries.

Later, Balasubramaniam of an international company, Avant Grade Engineering, gave a briefing on generation of power from bagasse. He said 1,400 megawatts could be produced from the bagasse of sugar mills in the province.