The News reported that the Asian Development Bank is expected to approve USD 65 million loan for a private sector consortium including Fauji Foundation for developing two wind power projects to generate 100 MW electricity.
According to documents of projects going to be sponsored by the ADB, its board is scheduled to grant approval before the end of this calendar year for Foundation Wind Energy-I and II projects. Foundation Wind Energy-I project involves construction, erection and operation of 50 MW of wind power generation capacity at Kutti Kun close to Karachi.
The project document states that this project will sell electricity to the national grid under 20 year take or pay off take contracts. The project sponsors are Fauji Foundation, Fauji Fertlizer Bin Qasim Limited and Islamic Infrastructure Fund.
Foundation Wind Energy II involves construction, erection and operation of 50 MW of wind generation capacity at Kutti Kun close to Karachi. It will sell electricity to the national grid under 20 year take or pay off take contracts. The project spnsors are Fauji Foundation, Fauji Fertlizer Bin Qasim Limited, Islamic Infrastructure Fund and Tapal Group.
These projects are unlikely to create significant environmental impact during construction and operation and hence classified as Category B for environment, documents show. The proposed project sites are not known to be claimed, used nor owned by local communities.
Also, no sites of cultural heritage are known to exist at or in the immediate vicinity of the proposed projects. The projects are proposed to be classified as Category C for involuntary resettlement and indigenous peoples.
The main objectives of the consultations were to apprise the stakeholders about the proposed project activities; obtain their views, concerns and recommendations and address them in the project design and thus enhance the environmental and social performance of the projects.
The participants generally welcomed the plans to establish the proposed power plant in the area. Since the projects would not directly affect them, the villagers generally did not have any apprehension or reservation about the projects, the ADB stated in the project documents. On the contrary, they expected that the projects would bring employment and small business opportunities for the local population.
The projects are consistent with ADB's long term strategic framework which emphasizes ADB's support for environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects. ADB's support for the projects is in line with Pakistan's 2009 to 2013 Country Partnership Strategy and the government's strategic emphasis on energy sector development.
