The government has accused the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) of providing 'unworthy' information on power shortage being faced by the country.
Sources in Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) told Business Recorder on Sunday that the Ministry of Water and Power has summoned all high-ups of Wapda and chief executives of the power distribution companies (Discos) on Tuesday for clarification on some of the information which the ministry says was 'not worthy'.
The country is facing up to 1500 MW power shortage but the utility has no concrete plan to deal with the situation which has not only slowed down the industrial activity, but also badly affected the agriculture sector when the rice season was in full swing.
Sources said that President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, at a recent meeting , snubbed Wapda officials for this crisis-like situation and directed that a 'short-term plan' be submitted to the federal government to finalise future strategy.
They said that Wapda had prepared a short-term power plan to meet the country's requirements but the information it provided to the government was 'not worthy' and what the utility had been asked to submit up to date information.
According to sources, the government raised a number of additional questions to be answered by Wapda Chairman and Chief Executives of power generation and distribution companies in the meeting on July 18.
Meanwhile, an official in the federal government told this scribe that the President has also convened a meeting on July 20 at camp office, Rawalpindi, to discuss the short-term power plan and seeking progress on guidelines given to the utility in this regard.
Sources said that Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) was also under severe criticism for not making any progress on hydel or thermal power despite knowing that the country would face crisis-like situation in 2007-08, if new generation was inducted in the system.
In September last year, the Prime Minister had directed the Ministry of Water and Power and Wapda to ensure availability of energy to maintain the projected economic growth.
"Concentrated efforts be made to increase power generation capacity from hydel, thermal, alternative energy and nuclear power supply as well as required mix be ensured to meet peak and lows in demand, both seasonal and locational," sources quoted the Prime Minister as directing the concerned departments.
They said that the Ministry of Water and Power had been asked to submit recommendations, within two weeks, to meet the projected power shortage during the next two years, but the ministry did nothing substantial except routine paper work.
They said that a committee on power demand supply position, headed by the Secretary Water and Power, Ashfaq Mahmood had recommended that public sector Gencos should make investment for two 450 MW combined cycle power plants which would reduce the time spent on arranging financing and tariff negotiations. But at the same time it was also observed that it would be departure from the existing approach of the government for inducting private power units.
However, Wapda Chairman observed that the schedule proposed by the committee was tight and proposed commissioning dates of the units on open cycle by September 2007 and combined cycle by March 2008.
Later, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz decided that no thermal power plant would be set up in the public sector but when it was felt that the situation was going worse, the earlier decision was declared nullified, the sources maintained.
Now, the President has taken a serious view of power crisis in the country and would discuss convey a strong message to the concerned high ups in the meeting scheduled to be held on July 20, sources said.
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