The minister stated that the CASA-1000 project was a megaproject of electricity trade that would usher in a new era of economic prosperity and development in country.
The Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) stated on Thursday that the government was promoting renewable energy sources (RES) such as wind, hydropower, coal, solar, and bio-energy in order to make Pakistan self sufficient in electricity for rapid economic growth and development.
He was speaking after inspecting ongoing construction work on a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter station in Nowshera district’s tehsil Azakhel Bala. In addition, the Minister laid the groundwork for a 500 kV HVAC grid station in Nowshera.
The Minister was accompanied by Engr. Dr. Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan, Managing Director of the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), senior officers of Wapda and Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (PESCO), and other officials involved in the megaproject.
The Nowshera converter station was built as part of the CASA-1000 Project to transmit 1300 megawatts of cheap, clean, and environmentally friendly electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan.
The CASA-1000 Project exemplifies the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan working together to harness clean energy and build a shared regional electricity market while combating climate change and raising the standard of living for their people.
The minister stated that the CASA-1000 project was a megaproject of electricity trade that would usher in a new era of economic prosperity, development, and to make country self-sufficient in electricity, in addition to meeting the country’s growing energy demands.
Priority was being given to utilising domestic resources to increase energy production, while the country’s power transmission system was being strengthened.
He claimed that the coalition government had accelerated economic and energy development by launching dozens of electricity and energy projects in all four provinces of Pakistan.
The Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) is a cabinet-level position in Pakistan’s government in charge of overseeing the country’s energy sector, which includes electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.
The Minister is responsible for formulating and implementing government policies and programs related to energy, as well as coordinating with relevant agencies and departments to ensure the effective and efficient use of energy resources.
The Minister is also responsible for collaborating with other countries and international organizations to develop and promote policies that support the growth and development of the energy sector in Pakistan.