Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) Director General (Energy Management and Conservation) Engineer Muhammad Khalid said Tuesday that 1,150MW electricity would be added to the national grid with the commissioning of the five new power plants by summer. He was giving a weekly briefing to media at the Wapda House.
The Pepco DG said that three power plants of 225MW each including Liberty Tech, Hubb at Narowal and Helmor at Bhikkhi, and Foundation of 175MW and Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-II of 300MW would be generating electricity by summer this year. According to him, the hydel power generation was improving as outflow and water indents at Tarbela and Mangla Dams have increased with the re-opening of canals after de-silting. However, the two canals, which were to be opened on January 31, would now be opened on February 5, he said.
DG Pepco further said that the electric supply was being suspended for three to five hours to urban centres, while rural areas had to face an eight-hour loadshedding during the last 24 hours. The Pepco, he explained, was facing a shortfall of 575MW due to suspension of gas supply for three months (December to February).
During the last six months (July to December 2010), he said, the Pepco provided 328,063 connections including 291,203 domestic, 26,180 commercial, 4,058 industrial, 6,484 tube-well and 138 miscellaneous. He said total power generation during the last 24 hours was 11,102MW against the demand of 12,582MW, showing a shortfall of 1,480MW, while the Pepco supplied 690MW to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC). The hydel components contributed 3,877MW, thermal 1,906MW, IPPs 5,257MW and RPPs 62MW, he maintained.