Russia is expected to utilize the six-month (October-April) idle capacity of the proposed Central Asia to Pakistan transmission line to sell its surplus electricity to Islamabad and set up a 600-megawatt gas-fired plant in Jamshoro, Pakistan’s Dawn reported on October 6.

The two sides have reportedly also agreed to convene a meeting of the joint energy working group in Moscow next month to sign a formal memorandum of understanding in this regard.

Visiting Russian Deputy Minister for Energy Yuri Sentyurin and Water and Power Secretary Mohammad Younus Dagha discussed the two issues during a meeting on October 5.

The visiting Russian delegation was informed that the transmission line of Central Asia-South Asia (CASA-1000) will remain idle during October and April every year because of a decline in hydropower generation in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

“Pakistan invited the Russian Federation to join CASA-1000 for the non-hydel part, as there is room for the transmission of electricity from October to April,” said an official statement.

It quoted the Russian deputy minister as saying that his country already discussed the possibility of joining the CASA-1000 transmission line during the off-peak hydrogenation period with Tajikistan, which has shown willingness to facilitate.  The Russian government will soon be taking up the matter with Kyrgyzstan.

The two sides also agreed to follow up with parallel discussions about whether the import of electricity from Russia be kept a government-to-government deal or a commercial arrangement.

Talking about Russia’s investment in the 600MW gas-fired power plant in Jamshoro, Mr. Dagha said the project’s feasibility has already been conducted and its PC-1 is also ready for approval. 

The Russian deputy minister for energy said Russian companies have rich experience in the energy sector and many of them are eager to invest in Pakistan’s energy sector.