By Huseyin Erdogan

ANKARA

 Pakistan invites Turkish energy investors to rebuild its electricity system, the Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan said Wednesday.

"We have very old transmission system and we have to put in place modern energy saving techniques," said Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister for Commerce, adding there is a huge opportunity for Turkish companies to develop transmission projects and transmission lines across Pakistan. 

Pakistan wants to shift its electricity-producing source from fuel oil to coal.

"One of the hardest things that Pakistan faces in terms of changing from fuel oil to coal is in the conversion process," Khan said.

“The reason we want to move from coal is that 70 percent of our energy supplies are now from fuel oil and it is very expensive,” said Khan.

"We are selling minor stakes in our energy companies to show that Pakistan is a liberalized country. They are part of the strategy to raise the comfort level of international investors in Pakistan," he said.

 Energy Diversity

 Pakistan is also investing in nuclear power plants with China. Two nuclear power plants are currently at a structural stage in Karachi, Pakistan’s industrial city, Khan said. 

In 2014, Pakistan received funding for the construction of the Dasu Dam in the north of Pakistan which is estimated to be able to generate 4,300 megawatt of electricity. 

The Dasu Dam is a gravity dam currently being constructed on the Indus River near Dasu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The 242 meter (794 ft.) tall dam will support a 4,300 megawatt hydroelectric power station which will be built in two stages.

Turkey has already become involved in Pakistan's energy modernization plans with an investment in Pakistan's first wind power plant in 2008.

A private Turkish energy company built the first wind power plant generating enough electricity for 60,000 households reaching a capacity of 56 megawatts. 

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