Power-cuts will end in the country for good by using the pump storage technology generating more than 19 billion units of additional electricity annually and saving Rs 174 billion from the budgetary expenditures set aside for power generation.
Wapda Neelum Jhelum hydroelectric Director Engr. Abdul Qayyum wrote this in his research paper title "hydro-energy and water vision in Pakistan". More than 25 countries were using the pump storage technology except Pakistan. He read this paper in the Zulifqar Ali Buhtto Shaheed University, Nawabshah Jamshoro and praised by participants.
Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Atta-ur-Rehman and Professor Dr Saleem Raza Samo, chairman, Energy and Environmental Department of that University wrote on April 7, 2008 to Wapda Chairman Shakil Durrani to execute recommendations by Qayyum and resolve the prevailing power crisis but Shakeel Durrani ignored it.
"The pump storage power germination is an efficient mean of producing hydro-energy, during less availability of water due to limitations of irrigation releases, independent of Irsa constraints throughout the years.
Due to its unique characteristic, capability of recharging dams/storing hydro energy for a long period of time and in large quantity, it is the key/inevitable technology to enhance the generation of hydro energy/recharging of dams in Pakistan. In 21st century ignoring the benefits, capability of storing electrical energy for long period of time, and in large quantities, is very unfortunate and dangerous to Pakistan, it emerged.
He said in the report that "the present Wapda's electrical system, no matter what efforts are made, without adopting this technology will remain vulnerable and overloaded constantly. The provision of pumped storage generation only at Tarbela, Mangla, and Ghazi Barotha will not only stabilise our system but can also increase the production of energy per year by an amount of 18,632 MkWh with financial benefits of Rs 174 billion.
"By adopting the conjunctive, conventional and the pump storage in the future, we can meet all our energy requirements efficiently and in very inexpensive way. A net increase in energy per year will be 56.5 billion units with a financial benefit of Rs 1,017 billion per year.
Indeed, the pumped storage and generation is relatively a newly developed technology, now well established and considered as economically viable source of producing hydro energy throughout the world. It is best suited for several existing/future plants at Indus, Neelum, Dasht, and Jhelum rivers.
"In this system, two reservoirs, lower and upper (conventional dam) in combination can be used to store electrical energy for a long period of time, and in large quantities.
Pakistan is lagging the world by "at least" 20 years in this respect and this lagging is not enabling Pakistan to meet its requirements despite the fact that investments on the present installed capacity of 17,500 MW are over and above than (in 2008 our base/Peak load will be 10,000/13,000 MW) the required ones he mentioned.
He said: "Pakistan is not benefiting from this universally recognised type of technology is requested to recognise the importance of this type of energy generation. At present, the overall (thermal+hydel) load factor is 45 percent whereas the productivity of hydropower generation plants is almost 29 percent which is rather a far too low productivity even in winter.
The provision of pumped storage plants and generation will not only raise the level of load factor, but will also help in meeting the peak demands indigenously. This will decrease the unit cost of energy in Pakistan to a considerable extent.
The base and peak loads in 2008 are 10,000/13,000 MW. The present average capability, if lower reservoirs are available, is 12,058.5 MW as against 9,931 MW in conventional system. The 12,058.5 MW, average capability available in pumped storage, arrangement, due to its ample cushion of management/restoring energy in upper reservoir in large quantities for long period of time, can meet the future two years demands successfully, without any power-cut, being more than the future two years base load, when the base/peak loads will be 10,700, 11,449/13,900, 14,873 MW respectively. This will increase the generation, almost, by 19 billion units per year.
He suggested that in conventional system our whole electrical network is constantly overloaded and extremely vulnerable. Whereas in pumped storage arrangement our system will never, if planned properly, be overloaded, during future two years, and additional 19 billion units, Rs 174 billion per year financial benefits will be possible through the system.
He wrote that in the conventional system, whatever the means were adopted, overloading of the system, constraints in effective generation, vulnerability and inefficiency could not be avoided. In conjunctive method, the increase in the production of electricity will be more than 56.5 billion units.
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