A group of investors has approached Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, seeking assistance in removing bureaucratic impediments hindering the progress of 13 wind and solar projects with a combined capacity of 600 MWp and an investment of $600 million, as reported by Business Recorder on Thursday.
Mustafa Abdulla, President of the Pakistan Foreign Renewable Energy Forum (PFREF), penned a letter to the COAS detailing the challenges faced by the investors in advancing their Category-III wind and solar PV projects. The Category-III projects, which include the 13 in question, did not secure tariff/generation licenses from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) by the CCoE decisions of February 27, 2019. These projects are slated to be processed through competitive bidding by the erstwhile Alternative Energy Development Board, based on Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) outputs and confirmation of Interconnection Ready Zones (IRZs) by the National Transmission and Dispatch Company Limited (NTDCL). IGCEP 2022 allows the addition of 500 MW wind and 3,120 MW solar for the year 2025.
The projects underwent a thorough evaluation by the Strategic Investment Facilitation Cell (SIFC) lower tier, manned by competent serving Colonels of the Pakistan Army, before being forwarded to the SIFC Apex Committee for approval. However, Mustafa Abdulla alleged in his letter that bureaucratic interference led to the diversion of approval, sending the projects back for “further studies.”
The investors are now seeking the intervention of COAS General Asim Munir to facilitate the timely approval and execution of these crucial renewable energy projects. The success of these initiatives is not only vital for meeting Pakistan’s energy needs but also aligns with the country’s commitment to sustainable and cleaner sources of power.
As the situation unfolds, stakeholders await the response from the COAS and anticipate positive steps towards the resolution of bureaucratic hurdles, ensuring the smooth implementation of the renewable energy projects.
