NEPRA Accepts Tariff Petition For 100 MW PV

• NEPRA has accepted and is reviewing tariff petitions from two separate special purpose vehicles for their 50 MW solar power project each
• FAS Energy is seeking approval for a levelized tariff of PKR 8.21 ($0.0714) per kWh for its project that will cost an estimated PKR 5,724 million ($49.77 million)
• Kulachi Solar suggests a  levelized tariff of PKR 8.77 ($0.0763) per kWh for its 50 MW project
• Both projects will be located in Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) of Pakistan has accepted two 50 MW solar power project proposals and is now evaluating the proposed tariffs. The petitions have been filed by FAS Energy Pakistan (Private) Limited (FAS) and Kulachi Solar Power (Private) Limited.

Created as special purpose vehicle by Saudi Arabia's Fawaz Alhokair Group, FAS Energy has proposed to develop the 50 MW project in Kulachi, Dera Ismail (D.I.) Khan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is seeking NEPRA's approval for a tariff of PKR 9.83 ($0.0854) per kWh for the first 11 years of the project life, PKR 6.49 ($0.0564) per kWh for years 12 and 13, followed by PKR 3.41 ($0.0296) per kWh for years 14 to 25. All in all, this will lead to a levelized tariff of PKR 8.21 ($0.0714) per kWh.

This project by FAS Energy will use153,846 poly-crystalline modules from Jinko Solar paired with 1,000 Huawei inverters, and single-axis trackers from Exosun. It expects the total project cost to be PKR 5,724 million ($49.77 million).

Kulachi Solar, a special purpose vehicle for Target Energy (Private) Limited, also plans to develop its 50 MW project in D.I. Khan district. It has proposed year 1 to 13 tariff as PKR 10.01 ($0.0871) per kWh, to be increased to PKR 4.30 ($0.0374) per kWh. Levelized tariff suggested by the company is PKR 8.77 ($0.0763) per kWh.

Kulachi Solar estimates project cost to be $48.7 million, and plans to use 151,554 solar panels. China's TBEA Xinjiang SunOasis Co., Ltd, will provide EPC and O&M services for this project.

Both these projects are estimated to generate more than 85 GWh of clean energy annually, on an individual basis. NEPRA will hold a public hearing of these petitions on October 31, 2018.

In January 2018, Chinese engineering firm PowerChina signed an MoU with Enertech to carry out EPC duties for its 100 MW project in Quetta, Balochistan (see PowerChina To Construct 100 MW Project In Pakistan).