KARACHI: Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said on Sunday that Turkish power ship will provide 232 megawatts of electricity to the national grid for Karachi at the prevailing power tariff.

Parvez Ashraf was speaking at a ceremony held to welcome the world's largest power ship Kaya Bey Karadeniz from Turkey at Karachi Port which will provide 232 MW to national grid for Karachi.

He said that some people in the media were airing incorrect news reports that the ship will not provide electricity to Karachi and that Karachiites will pay Rs 17 per unit as the cost of rental power is very high.

“It is also incorrect that the industry and the people of Karachi will pay higher electricity rates. 232 MW electricity from this ship will go to the national grid energy mix and will be provided to Karachi at NEPRA rates approved for Karachi. Therefore, Karachiites will pay the prevailing power rates”, the Federal Minister added.

He said that in the last two years, more than 1800 MW have been added to national grid with the help of 8 IPPs and two rental power projects (RPPs).

Four more independent power projects with    a capacity of generating 800 megawatts (MW) of power will be completed by end of this year to further improve electricity supply in the country.

The Minister said that the government was following the multifaceted approach to enhance power generation in the country and all the resources including hydel, thermal and coal are being used for this purpose.

Ashraf also said that the government was working on a strategy to provide electricity to the people at affordable rate with the help of energy mix. This is a challenge, he noted.He said the government is forced to buy costly electricity from RPPs for five years till the time that long-term cheap power projects come on stream.

Explaining the reasons for increasing power tariff, the Minister said that previously, Pakistan was generating 70 per cent of its electricity through hydel power and 30 per cent from thermal. Now it is the opposite, the country is producing 70 per cent of its power from thermal generation, he added.

In his inaugural address, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that the power ship has obtained all the necessary certifications and quality tests from concerned departments including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

He called upon Turkish energy group to make more direct investment in energy sector and other sectors in Pakistan.He thanked Karadeniz for bringing in the power ship to Karachi at the time of need and quoted a famous proverb “a friend in need is a friend indeed”.

Shah said that this ship will provide 232 MW of uninterrupted power supply to Karachi for the next five years. He also urged Port Qasim Authority to provide maximum support to the Turkish power ship.

Sindh CM called upon the federal government to extend more support to Thar coal projects for the early commissioning    of power generation from these projects.

He said the Engro power project, a joint venture of Sindh government and a private company will generate 2500 MW of power.

President Karadeniz Energy Orham Ramzey said that the ship with 19 brand-new power generating engines has been completely built in Turkey and    will provide uninterrupted power supply.

The power ship will start power generation after anchoring at mooring basin at Ibrahim Hyderi near Port Qasim in the next four weeks.

He said that the financial close of the project was reached in a record time keeping in view the urgency of PPIB for power needs.

Turkish Ambassador Babur Hizlan said that the ship has arrived with the aim to serve the beautiful city of Karachi.

Referring to the historic relations between Turkey and Pakistan, he said that his country has provided $ 50 million for the relief of flood victims and another $ 142 million will be provided for their rehabilitation. – APP