Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali claimed Tuesday that the electricity load shedding would be over by March 2018, as 4100 megawatt has already been added to the system till date and recoveries have improved by 93 percent, losses reduced to 17 percent mobile meter reading system is well in place in the country. He was addressing a press conference at the WAPDA House along with the Managing Director and other high-ups of National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC).
He said that there would be only three and four hours a day load shedding in urban and rural areas respectively during the upcoming summer. Plans are underway to observe minimum load shedding during the month of Ramadan, he added. "We will also provide cheap electricity to the consumers soon the production cost comes down with the expansion of the system."
He made it clear that those involved in power theft would have to suffer from load shedding in future as well. He said the ministry has also controlled theft of furnace oil worth Rs 8 billion for GENCOs and earned Rs 5.7 billion accordingly. He pointed out that the PML-N government is all set to add 13,600 megawatt new generation to the system, equal to what the country has produced during the last 69 years. The power generation would reach to 26,000 megawatt by March 2018, he added.
He told the reporters that the prime minister would inaugurate Matiari - Lahore transmission line worth $1.7 billion in the month of April. This line would be completed in two years; he said and added that it would end up repeated tripping and eventual disordering electric appliances. He said Bhikki power plant has starting producing electricity and Nandipur Power Plant would be converted to gas to increase power generation to 425 megawatt by March 2018.
According to him, the PML-N government has added five new grid stations of 500 KVA to the already existing 13 stations besides laying down 2000 kilometer transmission line since it took over the NTDC control. He said the electricity demand of Balochistan can easily be fulfilled because of new transmission lines in DG Khan and Loralai.
He said development work on Diamir Bhasha Dam, Dasu Dam, and Munda Dam has kick started and the generation capacity would be enhanced to 32,574 MVA under the vision 2020. He said the IPPs are being paid in accordance to the timelines, which was not common during the previous regime. He also urged the NEPRA to conduct efficiency test of IPPs without delay. He said the ministry has to receive Rs 70 billion from Sindh government, Rs 62 billion from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Rs 146 billion from Balochistan and Rs 42 billion from FATA. He said 70 percent of the system constraints have been removed and the NTDC would remove remaining 30 percent by the month of May. He said 20 MAF water is being wasted downstream from the point of Kotri that incurs a loss of$60 million per annum due to short of dams.