Pakistan's eyes CASA-1,000 energy project despite hurdles

He was addressing the Quadrilateral Session of CASA-1,000 conference in Dushanbe on Thursday, which was also attended by President of the host country, President of Afghanistan, and Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan.

The CASA-1,000 project comprises the development, financing, construction, ownership and operation of over 1,200-kilometer-long high-voltage direct current transmission system between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan via Afghanistan.

It will be capable of delivering 1,300 megawatts of electricity of which 1,000 MW is Pakistan's share and 300 MW is for Afghanistan. The cost of the project is $ 1.2 billion.

CASA-1,000 is facing some serious hurdles. The security situation in Afghanistan is the main hurdle in completion of the project whereas the big beget of the project is also another reason for delay in the project. The Pakistani prime minister is trying hard to remove the hurdles to complete the project.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan needs energy for its socio-economic development and run its industrial sector to its full potential. He said the project would help generate employment opportunities and uplift standards of living of people of Pakistan.

Pakistan is currently importing about 100 MW of electricity from Iran.

Iran has announced readiness to increase power export to Pakistan up to 3,000 MW.

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