The Managing Director Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco), Tahir Basharat Cheema has vowed the production of 54000 Megawatts electricity by 2020 and assured the ending of load shedding by December 2009.
Addressing a news conference here on Tuesday, he said that energy crisis occurred as a result of delay in implementation on project during the previous regime, however, the present government has almost controlled the situation and by December 2009, there will be no load shedding in the country.
In order to end the load shedding by December 2009, he said that the government has initiated step of bringing rental power projects on temporary basis, however, these projects would have no need with the production of energy from the projects, which are being completed on long term basis. If the work of establishing power projects carried out according to plan, the country would have the ability of producing 54000 Megawatts electricity by 2020, he said.
Tahir Basharat Cheema informed that Pepco has cleared the outstanding dues of Rs 338 billion of oil companies and now there is only Rs 51 billion outstanding dues, which will be cleared within a week time to IPPs. He said that Pepco is getting electricity on high rate of Rs 10.38 per unit from IPPs and Rs 10.98 per unit from Rental Power. The electricity could be produced with cheap rate from Thar Coal Power Projects.
The upgrading and repair of old power houses are being carried out at the one hand while the other hand, efforts have been geared up at Thar Coal Power Project, he said and added that soon 50 Megawatts electricity will be produced on the experimental basis from Thar Coal and later its capacity will be enhanced up to 1000 Megawatts.
The Engro and other companies have made agreements of producing 1000 Megawatts electricity from Thar Coal while eminent scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand also visited the site of Thar Coal for production of electricity through advanced technology, he informed.
He informed that plans for production of 334 Megawatts electricity through windmill energy has also been introduced and next year, it capacity will be enhanced up to 5000 Megawatts. The windmill energy will cost Rs 13 per unit at the initial stage however, with the start of the plant with full pace, the cost of per unit electricity will be reduced, he said and added that Rs 200 billion have been estimated for production of windmill energy, which will be borne by sponsors.
Besides, he informed that production of 1700 Megawatts energy has also been planned through public sector power projects, which included 450 Megawatts Plant in Nandipur Gujranwala and 525 Megawatts Plant at Choon Choon Kil Maliyan. The Guddu Power Plant, which is producing 200 Megawatts energy against the designed capacity of 400 Megawatts will also be replaced with capacity of 725 Megawatts electricity.
The Managing Director Pepco said that Hesco is the biggest power distribution company of the country, which is providing electricity to entire Sindh except Karachi. Hesco has the outstanding dues of Rs 34 billion including Rs 15 billion against the departments of Sindh Government.
During the meeting with Hesco officers, Tahir Basharat Cheema informed that he has issued directives to them to gear up their efforts for the recovery of outstanding dues of Rs 34 billion with improvement of power distribution system, reduction of line losses and action against power theft.