Friday, April 11, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 4,1429    

Rs 8b plant to generate 58 Megawatt power

Multan—City district government Multan (CDGM) is planning to set up a Rs 8 billion power plant to generate 58 Megawatt electricity from solid waste under a public-private partnership venture based on Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) principle.

The project will cost around US$ 130 million or Rs 8 billion and tenders have been sought from national and international firms, said city district nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar at a briefing from officials of a company ‘Abaseen’ here.

The project will serve the best national interests amid on- going power crisis confronting the country.He said that the firm that will establish solid waste power plant will be offered the piece of land at Vehari road which was once allocated for Compost plant.

He said that electricity so generated will be sold to Wapda.

Director Abaseen International Habib Malik said that his firm was already working on a similar project in Karachi in partnership with city district government.

He said that the firm will import modern equipment to collect solid waste adding that compact trucks are the most modern option that have replaced the containers for solid waste collection.

He said that city district government Karachi (CDGK) has also shelved its Compost Plant plan at 450 acre land after new technology of power generation from solid waste inspired it.

He said that the company will pay 15 per cent of the profit to the CDGM in case it gets the contract to build US$130 million plant that will be installed in two-year period at a 15-acre plot.The company will hand over the plant to CDGM after completion of 25-year contract period.— APP