Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power Engr. Khurram Dastagir Khan and Minister of State Hashim Notezai had received a detailed briefing on power sector here at the Ministry.
The Ministers were briefed by the Secretary Power Division and officials regarding Ministry’s wings, entities, ongoing projects and financial challenges, said a press release issued here Thursday.
Khurram Dastgir questioned the officials in detail about the electricity demand and supply gap and solicited suggestions about eliminating load-shedding immediately.
He said that he was acting vigorously upon Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s direction to curb load-shedding and to provide electricity to citizens as well as to industry to kindle economic growth.
The minister issued directions to all distribution companies for timely redress of public complaints.
He emphasized enhancing efficiency of government-owned power plants in order to reduce electricity price. He vowed more openness and transparency in working of the Ministry.
Days earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered that natural gas from fertiliser and captive power plants be diverted to the power sector and timely payment of funds be ensured to end loadshedding from May 1.
“The prime minister has directed that there would be zero loadshedding from May 1,” Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said after a meeting presided over by Mr Sharif on the energy sector.
A senior government official told media the prime minister approved the power division’s requests to divert 220 million standard cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of natural gas from fertiliser plants and captive power plants (CPPs) of the industrial sector from May 1 to 7 to run more power plants in the crucial Eid days.
Substantial savings would also accrue on account of subdued industrial and commercial activity and the closure of public and private offices and educational institutions during the Eid holidays.
Mr Sharif ordered that even high loss-making areas be provided with full power supply during this period, even though he was alerted that it would have an additional impact on tariff.
It is expected that the power sector will start receiving about 700 mmcfd of LNG instead of about 500 mmcfd at present.
Secondly, the prime minister also asked the finance ministry to provide funds to the power sector as per agreed timelines to facilitate urgent maintenance and repairs and payments to fuel suppliers and independent power producers (IPPs).
