Country likely to face worst power crisis

Pakistan is likely to face the worst power shortage of around 5000 MW during next two to three months as the demand and supply gap will widen further with rising temperatures, sources told Business Recorder.
"The country is to face the worst situation," sources said as Water and Power Ministry's plan of generating thermal power through government funding has been rejected by the Planning Commission. Currently, the power shortage is fluctuating between 3000 and 3500 MW daily. But the situation will not remain the same as the shortages increases with each passing day, according to the sources.
The water and power authorities committed a criminal negligence to projects, which needed feasibility studies some two or three years ago. This was not done due to water and power authorities one-point agenda of having prioritised the 'controversial' Kalabagh dam. The construction of Kalabagh dam must be necessary, but this should not have held other important projects hostage for such a long period, said the sources.
In 2005, various national and international organisations gave several presentations on the projects, which needed feasibility studies. These projects include 1500 MW Chor Nala, 1250 MW Spat Gah and 1002 MW Kandiah in district Kohistan, 659 MW Swat project in district Swat and 871 MW Kunhar project district Kaghan.
Apart from these, some medium-size projects were also proposed. These include Koto and Sharmai project in district Dir, Jabori and Bhimbal scheme in district Kaghan and Karora New in district Swat.
The organisations also proposed 67 sites for small hydropower projects with a total potential of generating about 408 MW. These include 12 in Upper Chitral, 10 in Lower Chitral, 11 in Indus Kohistan, eight in Swat Valley, four in Mansehra West, five in Kaghan Valley and 17 in Dir District.
All these projects were proposed in a conference held in 2005. The conference was organised by Board of Investment in collaboration with Singapore-based IBC. According to the sources, the Water and Power Ministry and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) did not pay any heed to these projects timely.
The power policy provisions especially those relating to captive power generation were not reviewed by the concerned authorities and that was the reason that private sector could not be involved in hydel power generating projects, the sources said.
As the country is facing the worst kind of power crisis, the new government is not having any strategy to overcome the shortage in years to come. The electricity consumers will have to wait for a long period as Musharraf-led government could not take up any major initiative in power sector during the eight years, the sources added.