Iranian firm plans 1GW power project in Pakistan

TEHRAN,July 11(MNA) – Iranian energy and construction firm MAPNA announced plans to develop a 1GW power project in Pakistan. The MAPNA four-member delegation, headed by Abbas Ali-Abadi, had a meeting with Pakistani Federal Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar in Islamabad on Monday. The Iranian delegation expressed its enthusiasm to build the project and to supply and install 25MW smaller projects. Iranian Deputy Energy Minister Mohammad Behzad said on June 1 that based on the two countries’ agreement, a new 230-kilovolt power line will be developed, between the two nations. He said the new transmission line would be built between Iran's southeastern port city of Chabahar and Pakistan’s Guarder port. The official added that Iran had doubled its power export to Pakistan from 35MW per day to 70MW last year (ended March 19, 2012) after the installation of new facilities. It is expected that Iran's electricity exports to Pakistan will reach more than 200MW by next year, Behzad said. He emphasized that a new power transmission line between Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan and Pakistan’s Quetta would be established to increase electricity exports to 1GW. Iran currently trades electricity with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Nakhichevan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.