Russia offers $500M investment for electricity transmission to Pakistan

Russia has offered an investment of $500 million in establishing a transmission system for the Central Asia South Asia 1,000-megawatt power import project.

It will bring electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A Russian delegation also expressed interest in providing assistance for modernisation and rehabilitation of Muzaffargarh and Guddu thermal power plants and their conversion to enable them to run on cheaper fuel, like coal.

The offer came in a meeting of a six-member Russian delegation, headed by State Secretary and Deputy Energy Minister YP Sentyurin, with Federal Water and Power Minister Ahmad Mukhtar here on Thursday.

The two sides discussed various matters of mutual interest and cooperation in the energy sector. They agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding for energy cooperation and a draft will be prepared in this regard for consideration.

Ahmad Mukhtar also asked the Russian delegation for help Pakistan in modernising hydroelectric plants, participate in construction of 500-kilovolt transmission line for import of 1,000 megawatts of electricity from Iran and other projects like Tarbela 4th Extension, coal and renewable energy and transmission lines.

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