China proposes $15bn hydropower scheme in Pakistan

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

China proposes $15bn Indus dam scheme

Reference:FT.com / Asia-Pacific / Pakistan - China proposes $15bn Indus dam scheme



China’s Three Gorges Project Corporation has proposed a $15bn hydropower scheme to Pakistan to dam the Indus river valley at several points, in a project aimed at controlling floods and tackling electricity shortages, Pakistan’s natural resources minister said on Tuesday.

The deal, pitched by the builders of the Yangtze River dam, the world’s largest, is the latest example of Chinese interest in Pakistan, as the latter tries to develop natural gas, oil, coal and hydropower resources to boost its flagging economy.

Asim Hussain, Pakistan’s minister for petroleum and natural resources, told the Financial Times that Three Gorges had met with the government and proposed a $15bn hydroelectric master plan for the Indus, and to fund a $50m survey to lay the groundwork.

Devastating floods last year highlighted the benefits of dams on the Indus. The country’s electricity shortage and need for irrigation are also behind Pakistan’s focus on hydroelectric power, which the opposition party also supports.

Last year Pakistan and China agreed to an investment deal to build the Bunji dam. The $15bn proposal would cover Bunji and other sites on the upper and lower Indus including Kohala and Dashu, a government representative confirmed.

Mr Hussain was meeting in London with potential investors in Pakistan’s oil and gas sector, ahead of new round of oil block auctions. Recent growth in estimates of its natural gas reserves – composed mostly of unconventional shale and tight gas – has led Pakistan to seek investment from partners such as BP and Shell. “We did not know where our coffers were, but now we do,” he said, referring to oil and gas.

Chinese companies have taken a lead on natural resources investment. In December 2010 BP sold its Pakistan oil and gas assets to United Energy Group, a Hong Kong-based investor, for $775m. Metallurgical Corporation of China is mining copper, zinc and lead in remote Baluchistan province. But a copper-mining joint venture between Canada’s Barrick Gold and Chile’s Antofagasta has struggled to gain official approval in Baluchistan.

A Pakistan government representative said “both sides are working on the details and priorities” of the $15bn hydropower deal for Pakistan. Three Gorges was not available for comment.

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Edit the thread title please

 

[Safriz]

there have been many surveys for many power projects. this will be another one. only if wapda pays bills to the private and semi private power cpmpanies sl that they can buy oil for their generators. much of the power sjlrtage will be dealt with.
its not lack of resources that we are facing such acute power shortage. its pure mismanagement.
mind you mismanagement is as bad and as damaging as femine and war.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

This dam will be worthy long term investment since China has accumulated a lot of experience by building the three gorges dam.

And we did learn a lot of mistakes of the three gorges dam, so everything will get improved.

 

[seekers]

This dam will be worthy long term investment since China has accumulated a lot of experience by building the three gorges dam.

And we did learn a lot of mistakes of the three gorges dam, so everything will get improved.

sure! This time they don't need to learn with no. of experiments in Chasma Nuclear power plant, which was copied with karachi KANUP 125MW .
China's DAMS investment news has almost ignored by Pakistan media, because this would give favor to Pakistan and zardari. Zardari has made no of visit to China for this deal

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

This is the same company that has built world largest Dam in China!!!

Normally cost of the Dam is 5-6 Billion dollar's range so 15 billion would cover 2-3 strategic Dams in Pakistan enough to generate ample electricity for our nation's need

 

[pmukherjee]

Damning Pakistan and building dams in Pakistan are two different things. China is doing the latter. Please edit thread title. Thank you.

 

[EastWest]

Damning Pakistan and building dams in Pakistan are two different things. China is doing the latter. Please edit thread title. Thank you.

 

[acetophenol]

typo,typo,typo!!!!!

 

[Black Widow]

This is the same company that has built world largest Dam in China!!!

Normally cost of the Dam is 5-6 Billion dollar's range so 15 billion would cover 2-3 strategic Dams in Pakistan enough to generate ample electricity for our nation's need

Pakistan (or India ) is not china.. At our place bringing up some project is tough job.. Here, Land acquisition, replacement of population, taking care of affected people, destructive opposition party, terrorists are major problem... In china Protesters can be killed but not in Pakistan (or India).

Example: Gujrat govt cried like widow to increase the height of Narmada dam.. Finally Supreme court allowed them to do so.

By the way, its good step, hope Pakistan make some dams. Hope India too make some dams on these rivers, Together we will generate power and controll flood.

 

[AvidSpice]

Damn! Dams, I thought China is planning to build 15 billion dams in Pakistan.

 

[oct605032048]

No one says it is an easy job even the starting step costs 50 million. But it is like another karakoram highway in the 21 century and worth doing it.

 

[RayBan]

This dam will be worthy long term investment since China has accumulated a lot of experience by building the three gorges dam.

And we did learn a lot of mistakes of the three gorges dam, so everything will get improved.

what mistakes you talking about, care to elaborate please?

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

No one says it is an easy job even the starting step costs 50 million. But it is like another karakoram highway in the 21 century and worth doing it.

Well the water projects would also save ample water for larger cities in Sindh and other provinces not only will the power sector benefit , but also the crops would have water supply , as rain water could be stored for usage when water supplies are low

 

[OrionHunter]

That's a good proposal considering the power shortage in Pakistan. But that's a lot of money! This would probably take another 10-15 years to fructify. And the escalation in cost by then would be back breaking! But the IMF would likely come to Pakistan's aid.

Land acquisition is going to be a major hurdle and scores of villages and fertile lands would be obliterated. This would also result in pollution, silt accumulation, ecological deterioration and geological hazards near the dam as the Chinese are experiencing with the Three Gorges dam.

The villagers too would be up in arms like what happened in the Narmada Valley project in India. Building such monstrous dams is easier said than done. Why not go in for small mini dams instead?