Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Tariq Hameed has said that Wapda is working on 10 hydel power projects, besides five mega dams in the country. The Nespak has completed the feasibility report of ten projects.
Addressing a seminar on "Power Crisis and Viable Solutions" organised by The Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Pakistan (IEEEP), here on Tuesday at Wapda House, he said that in the coming two years, no power generation plant would be installed, therefore, consumers must save energy to avoid load shedding in the country. He said that the output of the business community would not be disturbed by following the alternative working hours.
He said that Wapda did not intent to decrease the business activities as well as the profit of the businessmen, and the idea of alternative holiday was floated only to get rid of the power crisis but it was aggressively opposed by industrialists, he added.
He said that due to pragmatic measures and comprehensive planning, the line losses of the FESCO, LESCO and MEPCO had been decreased by 9%, 12%, and 15% respectively during the last year.
He said that Wapda had been spending Rs 19.4 billion on distribution and the up-gradation of the present system for the smooth and steady supply of power to the consumers. It is baseless to say Wapda lacks of proper planning, he added. He further said that line losses are due to power theft which would be controlled gradually. He said that the textile industry could save 25% power by following the alternative method of power use during the peak hours.
Talking about the power reforms in agriculture sector, the chairman said that farmers were given relief package in power utilisation for tube wells at the rate of 75 paisa per unit for specified hours.
He said that 25% decrease had occurred in monthly bill of the farmers after the installation of Time Of the Day (TOD) meter. At the end, he said that a special committee would be formed for the implementation of the recommendations given by participants and speakers of the seminar.
Wapda would take full advantage of the recommendations of engineers that would help minimise the power crisis in the country, he enunciated. He said that industrial sector is the great source of revenue for Wapda and all resources would be utilised to provide smooth and undisturbed supply of power.
Engineer Riaz Ahsan Biag, vice president IEEEP Mohsin Syed, Sohail Altaf Qureshi, Tahir Basharat, Arshad Chughtai and President LCCI Shahid Sheikh also expressed their views on the occasion.
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