close
Thursday March 28, 2024

No loadshedding during Sehr, Iftar: PM

By Israr Khan
May 30, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday said there was no power loadshedding in any part of the country during Sehr and Iftar timings.

The premier while briefing media persons regarding power generation and supply situation said that the PML-N government added 11,461MW to the system. He claimed that total generation capacity was 18,753MW in June 2013, and in the last five years, the government increased it to 28,704MW till May 2018. He said that total monthly generation of electricity was 9.913 billion units in 2013 that had gone up to 14.6 billion units that accounts for 50 percent increase in total power generation.

Prime Minister Abbasi gave details of the power generation projects which were 47 in number (including old and new) with the generation capacity of 11,461MW. He gave all credit to the leadership of Nawaz Sharif to add electricity in the national grid.

The prime minister said that in June 2018, electricity demand would be 22,538MW against total expected power generation of 22,178MW with a shortfall of 362 MW. In July, he said, the demand would decline to 22,346MW against expected generation of 21,943MW causing a shortfall of 403MW. However, he said, the demand would come down in August to 21,515MW and the country would have surplus of 250MW. He said that right now, due to shortage of water, the hydel power generation has been hit hard.

Pakistan’s power demand increased by one-fourth over the last five years. In April 2013, the demand was at 15,816MW, while in same month of 2018, it inched up to 20,846MW. He said that besides adding 11,461MW electricity in the national grid, the PML-N government had planned new power plants to add 10,687MW electricity till 2020 and 17,119MW more till 2025.

The prime minister urged the upcoming government to continue work on these projects to add power in the system to meet growing demand of electricity.

Responding to a question regarding circular debt in power sector, the premier said they would leave the debt less than what the previous government left (Rs480 billion) to them in 2013.

“If we had not imported LNG, then we would now be facing up to 10 hours loadshedding. Currently, three LNG-based plants are operating with the highest efficiency of more than 62 percent,” he said.

Prime Minister Abbasi claimed that the country will have surplus electricity in August this year. However, he said the country would be facing minor electricity shortages during June and July this year, as these are critical months where the hydel power generation is always at lowest ebb.

The prime minister also criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and judiciary for creating a situation in which the bureaucrats are always reluctant and afraid to take decisions.

“NAB should not create such a situation by calling civil bureaucrats and insult them, as they find it a best option not to take a decision,” he said.

He also offered open challenge for debate on media about corruption charges levelled against him by a politician from Rawalpindi. He said that he had written a letter to the chairman NAB when he was petroleum minister not to harass the bureaucracy and offered himself for trial.

The premier said the Centre has given 100 million cubic feet (MCF) gas to the KP government, but it failed in install any power plant on it. In KP, he said, Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) is facing 60 percent power theft. He said the federal government had offered provinces to take control of power and gas distribution companies as they were not ready to cooperate to address issue of power and gas theft.

Responding to question about Kalabagh dam, he said that such projects need national consensus. He said that first water policy had been approved with national consensus and work on two mega dams including Diamer Bhasah and Mohmand dam had started.

He said that Pakistan had wanted the World Bank to set court of arbitration, whereas India desired neutral expert on construction of Kishenganga dam. He said that negotiations were underway in this regard. He said Pakistan had taken all measures to present its case before meeting of financial action task force (FATF) in June next month. He said Pakistan had complied resolutions of the UN Security Council and would present its narrative before the task force to avoid placing the country on the global list of countries that finance terrorism. “We hope our narrative would be accepted,” he added.