October 29, 2018
Contact: Krish Das
Phone: 021 3527 5000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The United States promotes the development of clean energy in Sindh
Karachi – The U. S. Consul General in Karachi, JoAnne Wagner today visited the wind corridor in Jhimpir to review U.S. Government investments in the area. She visited the Jhimpir-1 grid station financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Hawa Wind Power Project financed in partnership with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).
The United States and Pakistan have a long history of cooperation in the energy sector and are working together to help attract private sector investment in clean energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro. Consul General Wagner was pleased to note the progress made at the sites and commended the results of the public-private partnership which had transformed the area.
The United States Government has supported the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) for a transmission system that connects 780 megawatts of wind energy to the national grid – enough to power over 150,000 homes. Recognizing the potential for private sector investment in the area, OPIC, the investment arm of the U.S. Government, has invested in five wind power projects in the Gharo-Jhimpir corridor.
Compared to conventional sources of energy, wind is a clean and economically competitive alternative. Sindh and parts of Balochistan hold tremendous potential for wind power – estimated at 50,000 megawatts – approximately twice the country’s current generation. To harness the full potential of the wind corridor, Pakistan requires additional transmission lines to connect wind power plants to consumers.
This $43 million investment from USAID has already leveraged approximately $1.56 billion in private sector investment into wind projects.
For more information about USAID programs please visit: www.usaid.gov/Pakistan
