Pakistan, Turkmenistan to form JWG for power transmission line project

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad and Ashgabat have decided to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) for finalising laying of a power transmission line from Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Energy, Power Division (MoWP) that confirmed the formation of a working group for the power transmission project between the two countries.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting held between Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan and Turkmenistan delegation jointly headed by Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Energy Minister Döwran Rejepow.

Omar Ayub Khan said that new vistas of regional electricity trade were opened with best investment opportunities following special attention paid by the present government on the energy sector.

The power minister said that the energy market of the country for foreign investors while interconnectivity of Central and South Asian countries through national grids will also increase investors’ attraction, especially along the route connecting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

The Turkmen Minister for Energy said that Turkmenistan has surplus electricity available at affordable and competitive rates that can be exported to Pakistan via a transmission line.

Turkmenistan Energy Minister Döwran Rejepow said that Ashgabat can export its surplus electricity to Islamabad at affordance and competitive rates through a power transmission line.

Turkmenistan Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov thanks the Pakistani government over warm welcome upon his arrival. Meredov said that Ashgabat will enhance cooperation with Islamabad in order to strengthen the capacity of resource utilisation for public benefits.