‘Power transmission capacity to improve by 2016’

LAHORE
Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali has said the government is trying its best to improve power transmission system and vowed to increase its capacity to 21,000 MW from present 16,300 MW by the end of 2016.
Addressing a press conference at the Wapda House on Saturday, Abid Sher Ali said his government already succeeded in increasing the capacity of power transmission system from mere 13,750 MW to 16,300 MW in the last two years after coming into power. In the past, he alleged no concrete efforts had been made by previous governments to upgrade ageing power transmission and distribution system.
Besides laying power transmission lines, the present government established a 500 KV grid station and nine 220 KV stations to boost power supply system, he added. He claimed that low voltage and other related problems would be completely ended following upgrade of power transmission and distribution system in 2016. He continued to say that the government also taking steps for ensuring backup power supply to avoid nationwide blackouts.
Talking about persistent loadshedding in Swat, Mardan and Swabi, he said the government of Khyber Pakhtonkhwa had not been able to allocate land for construction of grid station in the area terming it a main hurdle in supply of power to the area. Now the KPK government has taken steps for allocation of land and it is hoped that a 500 KV grid station will be set up in the area in the next one and a half years resolving power related problems for goods. Minister claimed that there was no forced power loadshedding being done in the country. Power loadshedding is only being done to the consumers of high losses areas.
About 80 percent of urban areas and 80 percent of rural areas have been exempted from loadhshedding duing Sehri and Iftari timings.
Talking about high losses areas, he particularly mentioned such feeders in Sukker Electric Supply Company (SEPCO). Losses in about as 320 feeders in the distribution company stood at 60-100 percent while 110 feeders showed losses of 40 to 45 percent, which is too much, he said. He further claimed that these losses translated into one billion rupees monthly deficit to the government.
He said he respected Murad Ali Shah, Finance Minister of Sindh, but he failed to fully pay outstanding amount of power dues. Out of Rs 32 billion, the amount has been reconciled to Rs 21 billion. However, Abid Sher Ali said Sindh government only paid Rs Rs 2.5 billion so far.
Minister for Power reiterated that power loadshedding would be ended by 2017. The power availability in the system has already showed significant improvement. There is only 6-8 hours of loadshedding in the country presently. Referring to delay in laying transmission line linking Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project with national grid, he said it would be completed in June 2016. A company has taken this issue in the court which led to delay in execution of the project. He expressed resentment over rising cost of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project saying his government would not tolerate such practices in future.