Daily Times

Dr Syed Pervaiz Abbas, Secretary of Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Dr Marc Barety, Ambassador of France, and Philippe Steinmetz, Country Director of the French Agency for Development (AFD), signed the Grant Financing Agreement worth Rs 85 million (Euros 0.5 million) to finance technical assistance for capacity building of the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) project – Ministry of Energy.

This technical assistance will support PPIB in its mandate of hydroelectricity sector development in Pakistan while enhancing competitiveness of renewable power generation. Such benefits will contribute to improving affordability and scaling up supply of energy while mitigating the impacts of power generation on climate and environment, in line with the policies of the Government of Pakistan.

This technical assistance will focus mainly on the following areas: Developing a mechanism for tariff based bidding of hydroelectric power projects including preparation of standard prequalification documents and requests for proposals. Assisting PPIB in matters related to the development of hydroelectric projects in the country including feasibility studies review. Capacity building of PPIB staff and provision of technical, financial, legal and management trainings.

The project will contribute to the Government of Pakistan’s strategy to develop green energy, reduce greenhouse gasses emissions, in line with the French Government’s agenda of promoting climate friendly projects.

France, through the French Agency for Development, is providing technical and financial support in energy and urban development sector in Pakistan, where Euros 700 million has been committed since 2016.