Zero loadshedding for industrial sector: Khurram Dastgir

ISLAMABAD: Federal Power Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir on Wednesday said zero loadshedding was being carried out for the industrial sector across the country.

Addressing a press conference here, he said only three and a half hours load management was carried out on around 84 per cent feeders across the country. Loadshedding would gradually decrease and people would witness a visible reduction in it at the start of July.

Sharing the data of June 7, he said the total power generation was 22,010 MW against the peak demand of 26,227 MW while the shortfall was at around 4,000 MW. Around three and a half hours load management was carried out on feeders of category 1 and 2, having less than 20 per cent losses. He said the maximum generation would be available in the next two to three weeks.

Expensive furnace oil-based electricity had to be added to the national grid for giving maximum respite to people.

The minister said arrangements to import coal for power plants had also been made to reduce loadshedding in the country. He hoped that the addition of 600 MW coal-based power generation would reduce loadshedding.

The K-2 nuclear power plant, which was under refuelling process, would also start generating 1,100 MW. The Karot hydropower project, which was delayed by the PTI government, would also start supplying 720 MW. He said unfortunately, the current hydel generation stood at around 3,196 MW due to less water inflow in rivers. The government was making all-out efforts to operationalise the RLNG-based Trimmu power project shortly to bridge the power demand.

The minister said more electricity was generated in April-May, but this year, the country witnessed an unprecedented power demand during this period due to a sharp increase in temperature. The government had planned various measures including early closure of markets, two weekly offs and one day work from home to conserve electricity. He said the past government did not add a single megawatt electricity to the system except power projects already started by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government. More electricity than the demand was generated during the PMLN government, he added. To a question, he said the government had decided that no more power plants would be set up in the country, based on imported fuel. Massive investment would be carried out in solar energy to increase its share up to 10,000 MW.

To another question, he said most efficient power plants would be switched to local-based resources while inefficient and expensive power plants would be gradually phased out. He hoped that 3,000 MW would be added to the system next year.