UAE shows interest to buy Guddu Power Plant

ISLAMABAD, March 11,2022- UAE (UAE) has expressed interest in buying Combined Cycle 747-MW Guddu Power Plant (GPP), UAE Department Head of Projects Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Mohammed Al-Nahyan has shown such interest in a letter written to the Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to a leading media outlet of Pakistan, in a letter to Imran Khan, he said, “We believe that the government is in the process of privatizing the Guddu power plant and has already advertised that work has started and the financial adviser has been appointed. We express our intention to comply with all the procedures required to achieve the plant and look forward to working with Pakistan. ”

It is said that Prime Minister Imran Khan plans to make an official visit to the UAE soon. Because the Foreign Ministry has also started preparations in this regard, report said.

Last month, the federal cabinet approved the financial evolution for the privatization of the 425 MW Nandipur Power Plant and the 747 MW Guddu Power Plant.

Sources said that the privatization division has called for all necessary steps and removal of barriers in the ministries concerned for the privatization of the plant.

Where is the Guddu barrage?

Guddu Barrage is located on the Indus River near Kashmore in Sindh province of Pakistan.

Former Pakistan President Iskandar Mirza laid the foundation stone of the Guddu Barrage on February 2, 1957, after the cost of Rs 474.8 million was finally completed in 1962, Gen Ayub Khan inaugurated it.

The Guddu barrage is used for irrigation and flood protection, the barge is 1,535 meters long and can accommodate 1.2 million cubic feet of water per second.

The agricultural land of 12,000 sq km in Kashmir, Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur and Balochistan districts of Sindh province is in its command area.

A seven meter wide road has also been built on this barrage, which has cut the distance of Lahore to Quetta and Rahim Yar Khan to Kashmir.