Daily Times

KARACHI: Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) is all set to enter into a power generation of 40 megawatts of electricity under a dual fuel power project called the Dhabeji Power Project on a Built, Operate and Own (BOO) basis, officials of KWSB have informed.

The power generation project will likely be completed within a period of two years after being granted a final signal to selected bidders on merit.

Out of eleven power generators in the private sector, six companies have submitted their Expression of Interest (EoI) for building the power generation at Dhaeji, where nine acres of land has already been earmarked for this purpose.

The Public Private Partnership (PPP) unit of Sindh government will evaluate and examine the shortlist of Gresham Eastern Private Limited, Engro Powergen Limited, Turbo Machinery Services, IMS Engineering Private Limited, Orient Energy System Private Limited and Technomen Kinetics Private Limited for a final selection out of these firms.

The interesting firms or investors have arranged 100 percent of the equity and debt for the project in accordance with the rules and regulations of KWSB laid down for this purpose.

A five-member tender Committee comprising of officials from KWSB and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, headed by Deputy Managing Director Azam Khan, Superintending Engineer Intakhab Rajput, Executive Engineer Sardar Ali Shah, and two members of KMC, Maqsood Shaikh (Superintending Engineer) and Tariq Mughal, (Superintending Engineer Building) have worked on the plan.

After approval from the Managing Director of KWSB, relevant papers and allied information with the plan on this effect would be submitted to PPP unit, Sindh government.

Chief Minister Sindh, heading 14-member committee of the PPP Board would grant the final permission. The PPP Board consists of energy, financial, administration, and power generation experts.

The KWSB will follow Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) Amended rule-15-A to carry out this project.

Upon permission being granted, the selected firm will be responsible for undertaking the planning, design construction, ownership, operation, financial management, and facility management of the project.

The facility would include infrastructure including, but not limited to, a power plant at the side with allied facilities.

There will be outgoing electrical feeders to interconnect with KWSB pumping stations for back up metering systems.

The selected private investor shall also obtain a generation license (if required) and tariff approval from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.