Home Blog Page 5

Rs15.26bn paid as M-6 land acquisition reaches 100%

Web Editor
-
0
Rs15.26bn paid as M-6 land acquisition reaches 100%

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4 (ABC): Land acquisition for the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6) project has reached 100%, with National Highway Authority (NHA) payments amounting to about Rs15.26 billion. This is according to the latest official data available with Wealth Pakistan.

The updated land acquisition status shows that the motorway requires 7,548 acres across seven districts of Sindh along its 306-kilometre alignment. Of the total requirement, 1,026 acres comprise state land, while 6,522.26 acres are private land.

The data show awards covering about 6,522 acres of private land. Mutation has also been completed for about 6,522 acres.

Khairpur, Matiari account for major land requirements

District-wise figures show that Khairpur Mir’s has the largest land requirement. The project needs 1,877 acres for a 76-kilometre section, including 88 acres of state land and 1,789 acres of private land. NHA payments in the district amount to Rs4.076 billion.

In Matiari, the 70-kilometre stretch requires 1,729 acres, comprising 100 acres of state land and 1,629 acres of private land. NHA payments stand at about Rs4.093 billion.

Another major portion falls in Naushahro Feroze, where 1,581 acres are required for a 64-kilometre stretch. Of this, 87 acres comprise state land and 1,494.26 acres are private land. Payments have reached about Rs3.619 billion.

In Shaheed Benazirabad, the project requires 1,457 acres for a 59-kilometre section. This includes 80 acres of state land and 1,377 acres of private land, with payments amounting to about Rs3.029 billion.

Land acquired across seven Sindh districts

The requirement in Jamshoro stands at 568 acres for a 23-kilometre section. It comprises 464 acres of state land and 104 acres of private land, while NHA payments stand at Rs21.85 million.

Hyderabad requires 296 acres for a 12-kilometre section, including 194 acres of state land and 102 acres of private land. Payments in the district amount to Rs321.135 million.

In Sukkur, 40 acres are required along a two-kilometre stretch. This comprises 13 acres of state land and 27 acres of private land, with payments standing at Rs99.792 million.

The latest status report places overall land acquisition progress at 100%. However, the table separately shows award and mutation involving 79 acres as being in process. This comprises eight acres in Hyderabad, 51 acres in Matiari and 20 acres in Khairpur Mir’s.

The document also states that 713.30 acres are required for interchanges, service areas and rest areas. However, the available information does not specify whether this acreage is included in the overall 7,548-acre requirement.

US-China trade truce gives global businesses fresh window for supply-chain planning

Web Editor
-
0
US-China trade truce gives global businesses fresh window for supply-chain planning

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4 (ABC): The latest extension of the US-China trade truce is giving multinational companies another window to reassess sourcing, inventories and investment decisions. The additional time comes before the world’s two largest economies determine the next phase of their trade relationship.

Washington and Beijing have extended their existing economic and trade arrangements until January 10, 2027. This gives businesses another two months of relative tariff stability while negotiations continue. China’s Ministry of Commerce said the extension would provide companies with a more stable and predictable policy environment as both sides review earlier agreements and work towards a longer-term settlement.

The extension is part of a broader effort to stabilise commercial relations following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s September visit to Washington. The two governments have also established a US-China Board of Trade and agreed to consider reciprocal tariff reductions covering roughly $30 billion of imports on each side.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, tariffs on around 90% of products covered by the proposed arrangement would eventually fall to most-favoured-nation rates. The changes would take effect once the necessary domestic procedures are completed.

Greater predictability for global businesses

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, Ali Raza, a trade analyst at the Ministry of Industries and Production, said the extension could help reduce uncertainty in global trade. Businesses are already facing pressure from geopolitical tensions, higher logistics costs and weaker investment confidence.

“The truce is important because it gives companies a more stable environment to make decisions on trade, investment and production. China remains deeply integrated into the global economy, and greater predictability in US-China economic relations can have a positive effect well beyond the two countries,” he said.

Raza said China’s large manufacturing base, infrastructure and extensive supplier networks meant it would continue to play an important role in global production. This would remain the case even as companies diversify some operations.

“The opportunity is to connect more closely with these wider trade and investment networks. Pakistan can benefit by strengthening industrial cooperation with China, attracting joint ventures and improving its ability to participate in regional and global value chains,” he maintained.

Companies get more time to review supply chains

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, Asad Rehman, Policy Analyst at S&P Global, said the extension would give companies additional time to reassess investment decisions. Some of these decisions had been delayed by uncertainty over tariffs and future trade restrictions.

“For businesses, the main value of the truce is that it reduces the pressure to make major decisions under rapidly changing conditions. Companies can use this period to review costs, suppliers and production plans before committing capital,” he said.

Rehman said the extension would not remove all uncertainty. However, greater tariff predictability could help firms price contracts, negotiate with suppliers and assess future production locations more carefully.

“This can reduce the risk of costly decisions being driven by short-term trade tensions rather than longer-term commercial considerations,” he added.

He said greater stability between the world’s two largest economies could also benefit developing economies. In particular, it could support international trade and investment flows while improving confidence across global markets.

$15m green finance project to support 800 women-led startups

Web Editor
-
0
$15m green finance project to support 800 women-led startups

ISLAMABAD, Oct 3 (ABC): A $15 million Gender-Responsive Climate Finance and Entrepreneurship Hub has been proposed to support more than 800 women-led startups and train 3,200 women. The project is being processed for the World Bank–Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan (FY2026-FY2035).

According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the proposed initiative envisages establishing a Provincial Women’s Green Equity Fund. It also includes four Regional Green Incubation Centres and a Punjab Green Marketplace to support women entrepreneurs and climate-related businesses.

The project targets more than 3,200 beneficiaries and envisages the creation of over 12,000 green jobs. In addition, it aims to achieve an estimated annual reduction of 150,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).

Green finance and entrepreneurship support

Proposed activities include providing seed capital and green grants to help women-led businesses grow. The project will also focus on developing climate-resilient business models, sustainable supply-chain training and facilitating access to carbon markets.

Moreover, women entrepreneurs will receive training and business support through the proposed equity fund, four regional incubation centres and the green marketplace.

The Punjab Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EP&CCD) has been identified as the lead entity. Meanwhile, the Women Development Department, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and UN Women are listed in supporting roles.

Digital monitoring proposed

Monitoring and evaluation of the project is proposed through a digital dashboard. The system would use gender-disaggregated data and verified emission reductions to track the initiative’s progress and climate impact.

Pakistan plans agricultural research overhaul with Chinese support

Web Editor
-
0
Pakistan plans agricultural research overhaul with Chinese support

ISLAMABAD, Oct 3 (ABC): China’s technical cooperation is set to play a key role in Pakistan’s planned overhaul of its agricultural research system. The plan includes five specialised Centres of Excellence, internationally accredited laboratories and stronger regional research centres.

The restructuring of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) is being undertaken under the broader initiative, “Reimagining Agricultural Research in Pakistan.” It aims to transform the council into a leaner, performance-driven organisation, with research infrastructure more closely aligned with food security, climate resilience and export growth.

According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, PARC is pursuing institutional affiliation with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). The collaboration is intended to draw on Chinese expertise in research management, advanced research facilities and human resource development.

Five Centres of Excellence planned

A major component of the plan is the establishment of five thematic Centres of Excellence at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) in Islamabad. Rather than creating new standalone institutions, existing NARC facilities will be upgraded and modernised with technical input from CAAS.

The proposed centres will focus on genome-based research in field and horticultural crops; genetic improvement and health management of livestock; and climate-smart solutions for land, water and energy. Other areas include artificial intelligence and technology in agri-food systems, as well as food processing and value addition.

Five sub-working groups, with focal persons from NARC, have been constituted to advance technical cooperation for each Centre of Excellence. The groups will organise collaboration around specific research areas.

Internationally accredited laboratories

Alongside research modernisation, the restructuring seeks to strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural export compliance system. In particular, the plan aims to address gaps in internationally recognised testing and certification.

According to the documents, Pakistani agricultural exports regularly face rejection because domestic test reports and certificates are not recognised in importing markets.

To address the issue, PARC plans an integrated project to establish state-of-the-art, internationally accredited laboratory infrastructure at NARC, Islamabad. Funding is expected to be provided by the Export Development Fund.

The proposed laboratories will be developed in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017. They will also seek recognition from ISTA, WOAH and IPPC/EPPO where applicable.

The objective is to enable Pakistan to issue internationally accepted test reports as well as phytosanitary, food safety and veterinary certificates through a single national hub.

The laboratory infrastructure will cover veterinary export testing; soil, water and fertiliser testing; seed quality testing; and food quality testing. It will also support food composition and authenticity testing, pesticide residue compliance, plant health diagnostics and DNA fingerprinting.

Regional research network to be consolidated

The reform programme also envisages rationalising PARC’s institutional structure by merging overlapping institutes. Each institute is being assessed against two main criteria — alignment with national priorities and performance. Low-performing or overlapping entities could consequently be merged, restructured or phased out.

Under the plan, PARC’s existing 10 regional research establishments will be consolidated into four stronger agro-ecology-based research centres. These will be the Tropical Agricultural Research Centre in Karachi, Dryland Agricultural Research Centre in Quetta, Mountain Agricultural Research Centre in Gilgit and Arid Zone Research Institute in D.I. Khan.

The restructuring follows a visit by a high-level delegation from China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and CAAS in September 2025. The delegation visited at the invitation of Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research and assessed PARC, NARC and affiliated institutes.

The assessment found that despite the system’s strategic potential, agricultural research was constrained by chronic underinvestment, fragmented incentives and duplication of effort between federal and provincial bodies. It concluded that deeper structural reforms were required to meet the demands of modern agriculture.

Subsequently, a comprehensive plan to revamp and restructure PARC was presented to the Prime Minister on March 17, 2026, and approved.

The Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Agriculture and Food Security is monitoring implementation of the restructuring plan.

Pakistan brings 2,700 acres of olive farms under drip irrigation

Web Editor
-
0
Pakistan brings 2,700 acres of olive farms under drip irrigation

ISLAMABAD, Oct 3 (ABC): Pakistan’s PSDP Olive Project Phase-II has met its 2,700-acre drip irrigation target for 2023-26. It also achieved 100% of planned adaptability trials and certification laboratory equipment targets, according to documents of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research available with Wealth Pakistan.

The project installed drip irrigation systems on 700 acres in 2023-24. This was followed by 1,000 acres each in 2024-25 and 2025-26, achieving the annual target in all three years.

The performance data also show that 14,237.4 acres were brought under olive plantation during the three-year period. This represents 61.59% of the cumulative target of 23,115 acres.

Plantation activity improved significantly in the latest year. The project achieved its full 4,815-acre target in 2025-26, compared with 4,607.4 acres against a target of 11,800 acres in 2024-25. In 2023-24, it brought 4,815 acres under plantation against the 6,500-acre target.

Training and plant propagation progress

Progress was also recorded in developing the human capacity and technical infrastructure required to support olive cultivation. The project conducted 124 training programmes against a three-year target of 137, achieving 90.51% of the target.

These included 46 training programmes in 2023-24, followed by 45 in 2024-25 and 33 in 2025-26.

The project also propagated 1.91 million olive plants during 2023-26, equivalent to 68.39% of the 2.79 million target. This included 0.782 million plants in 2023-24, 0.822 million in 2024-25 and 0.304 million in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, adaptability trials recorded full achievement, with all 41 planned trials completed during the period. The project also met its certification laboratory equipment target, completing two units against the planned two.

Olive processing infrastructure expanded

In post-harvest infrastructure, the project completed 15 fruit processing, oil extraction and storage equipment units. The three-year target was 22 units, putting achievement at 68.18%.

However, grafting of wild olive remained below the overall target. About 0.23 million wild olive plants were grafted against the three-year target of 0.65 million, representing 35.54% achievement.

According to the official performance data, the project recorded overall annual progress of 85% in 2023-24, 78% in 2024-25 and 81% in 2025-26.

China’s AI advances widen scope for Pakistan tech cooperation

Web Editor
-
0
China’s AI advances widen scope for Pakistan tech cooperation

ISLAMABAD, Oct 2 (ABC): China’s advances in artificial intelligence are creating greater scope for Pakistan to broaden bilateral technology cooperation. Potential areas extend beyond conventional telecom infrastructure to advanced computing, research, skills development and locally developed AI applications.

For Pakistan, deeper cooperation in AI is becoming increasingly relevant as the country seeks to strengthen its technological capabilities. It also comes as CPEC 2.0 places greater focus on innovation, industrial upgrading and technology transfer.

Access to high-performance computing, specialised processors, technical expertise and advanced development environments is increasingly important for AI research. Therefore, computing infrastructure and skills development could become key areas for the next phase of Pakistan-China technology cooperation.

Pakistan expands AI infrastructure, skills plans

Pakistan’s policy framework is already moving in that direction. The National Artificial Intelligence Policy calls for a national AI compute grid comprising high-performance computing centres and industry-driven data centres.

Under the policy, computing and dataset access is planned for at least 100 academic institutions to support AI research and development.

The government has also announced plans for seven AI hubs and 20,000 training opportunities under the National AI Advancement Initiative. In addition, it has set a target of developing one million AI-skilled non-IT professionals by 2030.

Against this backdrop, Pakistani experts see growing potential to link the country’s emerging AI infrastructure and skills requirements with China’s technological capabilities.

Dr Hassan Daud Butt, former Project Director of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), told Wealth Pakistan that advances in Chinese AI technologies could become particularly relevant for Pakistan. This is especially important as CPEC 2.0 puts stronger emphasis on innovation, industrial upgrading and technology transfer.

“Pakistan should not look at these developments merely from the perspective of importing advanced hardware. The bigger opportunity is to build partnerships that give Pakistani researchers, companies and young professionals access to computing capacity, technical expertise and platforms on which locally relevant AI solutions can be developed,” he said.

Cooperation could link companies, universities

Butt said Pakistan-China technology cooperation could increasingly connect Chinese technology companies with Pakistani universities, startups and industries.

“If cooperation is designed around capacity building and joint development, AI can become another area where the relationship moves from infrastructure creation towards knowledge and technology-based economic activity,” he said.

Khalid Hussain, Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department at COMSATS University Islamabad, said the next stage of AI growth would increasingly depend on access to computing resources rather than software knowledge alone.

“Pakistan has a large pool of students and software developers, but advanced AI research requires access to high-performance computing, specialised processors and practical development environments. Cooperation with companies working at this level could help our universities narrow that infrastructure gap,” he told Wealth Pakistan.

Hussain said collaboration should ideally provide universities with access to AI computing facilities and development tools. At the same time, it should support faculty training, student research and industry-linked projects.

Local AI applications offer economic potential

“The real value would come when Pakistani researchers are able to train and test models on advanced computing platforms and then use that capability for local applications. Agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, cybersecurity and language technologies are areas where locally trained AI systems can have direct economic and social value,” Hussain said.

However, he added that access to hardware alone would not produce a sustainable AI ecosystem. Pakistan would also need stronger expertise in parallel computing, data engineering, model optimisation and efficient use of computing resources.

Butt said linking Pakistan’s domestic initiatives with China’s technological capabilities could turn AI into a practical new pillar of bilateral cooperation.

“Pakistan should seek partnerships that leave capability behind — trained people, stronger research institutions, local applications and commercially viable products. That is how cooperation in advanced technologies can generate lasting economic value,” he said.

School initiative launched to expand access to safe water, sanitation in Pakistan

Web Editor
-
0
School initiative launched to expand access to safe water, sanitation in Pakistan

KARACHI, Oct 1 (ABC): A new school-based initiative has been launched to improve access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for children in Pakistan. It will provide clean water, rehabilitate toilets, establish handwashing stations and deliver hygiene education.

The initiative is the first programme under Saaf Sehatmand Pakistan, a new social impact platform launched by Reckitt Pakistan in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation. The programme will initially focus on schools and is designed to scale across Pakistan.

Reckitt Pakistan and the Aga Khan Foundation have formalised an agreement to implement the initiative. The partnership combines Reckitt’s health and hygiene expertise with the foundation’s experience in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and community outreach.

The initiative will provide access to safe drinking water and rehabilitate toilet facilities. In addition, it will establish handwashing stations and deliver hygiene education to help children develop healthier habits from an early age.

Initiative to begin with schools

Saaf Sehatmand Pakistan was unveiled by British Deputy High Commissioner Karachi Alison Blackburne. Reckitt Pakistan General Manager Asif M. Hashimi and Marketing Director Sarah Ahmed also attended the event. Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan National Committee Chairman Amin Feerasta and Chief Executive Officer Akhtar Iqbal were also present.

Powered by Reckitt brands Dettol and Harpic, the platform brings together the company’s work in health, hygiene, sanitation and safe water. It is designed as a long-term initiative to improve health and hygiene in Pakistan.

Reckitt Pakistan said it already reaches more than two million children annually through school-based hygiene education. The new platform will build on this outreach by combining education with better access to safe drinking water, toilets and handwashing facilities.

Speaking on the occasion, Hashimi said the initiative would translate the health and hygiene expertise of Dettol and Harpic into practical interventions in schools.

“Saaf Sehatmand Pakistan turns the trust and expertise of Dettol and Harpic into action, bringing safe water, sanitation and hygiene to schools. Our ambition is to carry that impact from classrooms into homes and communities across Pakistan,” he said.

Focus on healthier school environments

Amin Feerasta said every child deserved a safe, healthy and dignified learning environment.

According to Feerasta, the partnership would build on the Aga Khan Foundation’s experience in improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Initially, the initiative will help create healthier school environments in rural Sindh, supporting children in attending and remaining in school.

“We hope that this agreement will therefore be the first chapter of a long-term cooperation between Reckitt and the Aga Khan Foundation in Pakistan,” he said.

Meanwhile, British Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne said access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene was important for children’s health, wellbeing and education.

She welcomed the launch. She also said the Aga Khan Foundation’s implementation experience could help translate the initiative’s objectives into lasting impact.

Reckitt Pakistan said Saaf Sehatmand Pakistan would begin with schools before expanding through a wider network of partners. Ultimately, the platform aims to extend health and hygiene interventions from classrooms to homes and communities.

$10m project proposes 1,000 green grants, climate training for 5,000 students

Web Editor
-
0
$10m project proposes 1,000 green grants, climate training for 5,000 students

ISLAMABAD, Oct 1 (ABC): A $10 million Youth Climate Action Grants project has been proposed to provide more than 1,000 green micro-grants and strengthen the climate-action capacity of 5,000 university students in Pakistan.

According to a document available with Wealth Pakistan, the proposed initiative will combine financial support for youth-led climate projects with technical mentorship and climate leadership training. It also envisages the establishment of a Digital Youth Climate Portal.

The Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EPCCD), Punjab, has been identified as the lead agency for the project, which is currently at the conceptual stage.

Green grants, climate training planned

The proposed programme envisages supporting young people in developing and implementing practical climate initiatives through more than 1,000 green micro-grants.

It also aims to build the capacity of 5,000 university students. University networks and climate change clubs have been identified as potential implementation hubs.

Activities envisaged under the programme include nature-based solutions, rainwater harvesting, community composting, urban greening and water conservation.

Technical mentorship and climate leadership training are also included among the proposed activities. Meanwhile, the Digital Youth Climate Portal is intended to provide an online platform supporting youth participation in climate action.

The document also envisages partnerships with more than 50 entities. However, the available portion of the project document does not provide complete details of these partnerships.

Project currently at conceptual stage

The project has a proposed budget of $10 million. However, no detailed implementation schedule, milestones or completion timeline has yet been specified.

Detailed responsibilities of partner organisations have also not been defined in the available document. Nevertheless, university networks and climate change clubs have been identified as implementation hubs.

The proposed initiative forms part of a broader set of climate-related projects being processed under the World Bank Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan for FY2026 to FY2035.

If taken forward, the programme would create a structured mechanism for providing young people with financial support, training and technical mentorship. This would enable them to undertake climate-related projects at university and community levels.

China’s evolving overseas investment model gives fresh impetus to CPEC 2.0

Web Editor
-
0
China’s evolving overseas investment model gives fresh impetus to CPEC 2.0

ISLAMABAD, Oct 1 (ABC): China’s overseas economic engagement is maintaining strong momentum across Belt and Road economies. Meanwhile, its growing emphasis on investment, industrial cooperation, energy, minerals and commercially viable projects is giving fresh impetus to the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0).

Figures released by China’s Ministry of Commerce show that Chinese companies generated $99.39 billion in turnover from contracted projects in Belt and Road partner countries during January-August 2026. This represented a 12.5% year-on-year increase. Newly signed contracts were valued at $152.92 billion, up 2.4% in dollar terms.

The continued expansion comes as China’s overseas engagement increasingly moves beyond traditional infrastructure construction. Greater emphasis on investment-led and commercially oriented cooperation is creating more scope for industrial partnerships, technology transfer, energy and mineral development across Belt and Road economies.

For Pakistan, the changing model provides an opportunity to align CPEC 2.0 more closely with industrial production, investment and exports. At the same time, securing a larger share of Chinese overseas investment will require stronger project preparation, regulatory consistency and business-to-business facilitation.

China’s development model evolves

Dr Hassan Daud Butt, former CPEC Project Director and Senior Advisor to Energy China, told Wealth Pakistan that China’s development trajectory was undergoing a significant structural transformation.

He said the economy was increasingly moving beyond growth based primarily on scale, capital accumulation and low-cost production. Instead, advanced engineering, technological innovation, green development and higher-value manufacturing were becoming more important.

According to Butt, China’s expanding global commercial footprint could help developing economies integrate more closely with international production networks. However, the availability of Chinese capital alone would not automatically translate into successful investment projects.

“The more important question for Pakistan is no longer whether Chinese companies are investing overseas. The real question is which countries are able to convert Chinese commercial interest into executable projects and create an environment where investments can move quickly from an initial proposal to implementation,” Butt said.

He said Pakistan needed to strengthen its project-preparation capacity. This would allow potential investors to be presented with commercially viable opportunities rather than broad sectoral proposals.

Butt added that Pakistan could derive greater benefits from CPEC and broader China-linked connectivity if infrastructure development was connected more closely with industrial production and exports.

Investment needs to raise productivity

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, Dr Mujeeb Ullah, Assistant Director at the Pakistan Study Centre, University of Peshawar, said the key opportunity for Pakistan was to use foreign investment to raise productivity.

“Investment becomes more valuable when it brings technology, management practices, skills, supplier linkages and access to international markets. Pakistan therefore needs policies that encourage these spillovers into domestic firms and workers,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s industrial sector would need to improve productivity, skills and technological capabilities to benefit from the changing structure of Chinese manufacturing and overseas investment.

“Pakistan cannot compete sustainably only on the basis of low labour costs. The country needs to improve skills, production efficiency, quality standards, energy reliability and technological capabilities so that Pakistani firms can participate in higher-value activities,” he said.

Mujeeb said long-term investors also required predictability. Consistent taxation, access to foreign exchange, reliable energy supplies, efficient customs procedures and stable regulatory policies could significantly influence investment decisions.

Improving these fundamentals, he said, would better position Pakistan to capitalise on China’s evolving industrial and technological strengths.

CPEC 2.0 focus shifts to commercial outcomes

Mujeeb said the next phase of CPEC should increasingly be assessed by tangible commercial and industrial outcomes rather than the number of proposals alone.

“Pakistan should measure success by how many proposals reach financial close, how many joint ventures begin production and how much additional export capacity is created,” he said.

This approach, he added, would better align CPEC 2.0 with the current trajectory of China’s wider overseas economic engagement.

HESCO plans installation of 30,000 AMI meters

Web Editor
-
0
HESCO plans installation of 30,000 AMI meters

ISLAMABAD, Sept 30 (ABC): Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) plans to install 30,000 Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meters in its Hyderabad and Laar circles under the Electricity Distribution Efficiency Improvement Project (EDEIP).

According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, a complete AMI metering facility is proposed for 30,000 meters. The component has an estimated cost of Rs476.8 million, equivalent to $2.98 million.

The project also envisages major upgrades to HESCO’s grid stations and transmission infrastructure.

Grid stations, transmission infrastructure to be upgraded

Under the proposed scope, a 132kV GIS grid station at River Bund, with a capacity of 2×40 MVA, is estimated to cost Rs1.138 billion, or $7.11 million. Meanwhile, a 132kV AIS grid station of the same capacity at Rashidabad is estimated at Rs872 million, equivalent to $5.45 million.

The project includes conversion of the Khipro grid station from 66kV to 132kV along with its feeding transmission line. The 1×20/26 MVA component carries an estimated cost of Rs1.802 billion, or $11.26 million.

An additional 1×40 MVA power transformer is proposed at Tando Adam at an estimated cost of Rs264 million, or $1.65 million. In addition, augmentation of the power transformer at Hala-T2, also of 1×40 MVA capacity, is estimated at Rs222.4 million, or $1.39 million.

Another component involves 28 kilometres of reconductoring with High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) technology. The project will use Casablanca ACCC conductor on the Jamshoro-Qasimabad-Hala Road and Jamshoro-Rajputana-Hala Road sections.

The reconductoring work is estimated to cost Rs424 million, equivalent to $2.65 million.

Equipment, SCADA system also planned

The project also provides Rs1.693 billion, or $10.58 million, to improve operation and maintenance through the supply of goods and equipment.

These include power transformers, circuit breakers, CT/PT equipment, lightning arresters and 11kV switchgear. The component also covers 132kV transmission-line material, testing sets, cranes, crane-mounted loaders, lifters and vehicles.

A SCADA system covering 80 grid stations is also proposed. However, its implementation is subject to completion of a feasibility study and necessary approvals. The document does not specify an estimated cost for this component.

Technical assistance and training, including studies, assessments and preparation or updating of manuals, is estimated at Rs104 million, or $0.65 million.

Another Rs419.2 million, or $2.62 million, has been provided for project implementation support through the hiring of Project Implementation and Management Support Consultants.

Project’s grand total estimated at Rs8.1bn

The total cost of the project components is estimated at Rs7.414 billion, or $46.35 million. Administrative and other costs amount to Rs371.2 million, or $2.32 million.

The document puts the total at Rs7.787 billion, or $48.67 million, before accounting for the financing structure and financing costs.

HESCO’s counterpart contribution, including land expenditure, is Rs785.6 million, or $4.91 million. The remaining amount is Rs7.002 billion, equivalent to $43.76 million.

Financing costs comprise the front-end fee, interest during construction and commitment fee. These costs are estimated at Rs316.8 million, or $1.98 million.

The total IBRD loan, including financing costs, is estimated at Rs7.318 billion, or $45.74 million. The grand total, comprising HESCO’s counterpart funds and the IBRD loan, stands at Rs8.104 billion, equivalent to $50.65 million.

1...456...69Page 5 of 69