The government has sent Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) Managing Director Rasool Khan Mahsud to India to discuss a possible deal for purchasing between 500 to 1,000 megawatts of electricity, Express 24/7 reported on Wednesday.
The visit comes on the heels of government's decision to grant the status of "Most Favoured Nation" to India.
According to sources, MD Pepco was given a thorough briefing on all issues regarding the purchase of electricity.
Mahsud will be flying back home on October 22.
As reported earlier, Pepco had emphasized the need for implementing all energy projects in the pipeline in an effort to improve power generation and mitigate the energy crisis afflicting the country.
Mahsud stressed that Pepco was making efforts to reduce transmission and distribution losses and eliminate electricity theft through concerted efforts, which were focused on developing extra vigilance.
The distribution companies had already served notices of power disconnection to defaulters. The private sector, including textile mills, steel mills, paper industries and chemical factories, owes billions of rupees to Pepco
COMMENTS (16)
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Sane decision. Pakistan should go anywhere to get cheap electricity. For south, Iran is best option, for north of country please get power from India. It makes economic sense. Simple!
@ saifr i have high regards for south indians... they are smart, educated, innovative and above all hardworking.... they already have plants like generating electricity from waste rice husk. you never know they might surprise the world with ele generation from coconut water. but why am i telling this to you. seems you don't have any vision or insight.
@ saifr,: Mate, keep dreaming on. to break.. by the time you dream, you might loose another part of pakistan via Balochistan...It is not my wish to see broken pakistan, but you are doing that job by youself...we stay united, we fight united..Got it !
@Sane VOice: When did China offer this Rs 300 per house etc? And who says Iran can arrange 1000MW of electricity? Where is China going to give us the electricity from? Over the KKH? High voltage lines over the Karakoram and Himalayas? Iran can get us the electricity, but we don't have the high voltage cables or grid stations on our side! Stop this rhetoric and irrational nonsense. Why would China give us electricity at a loss when China is having trouble keeping up with its demand for electricity?
In 2010 India produced 723 Bikllion KWH of electricity. In 2010 Pakistan produced 90 Billion KWH of electricity.
How ever, who and how will India get paid ?
Pakistan does not have any money. How can anyone sell anything to it ? Its illogical. India should be careful here, very, very careful.
Its shouldn't be that why we are purchasing electricity from India? but the irony is that China can fulfill Pakistan's long term energy demands, whether be it through coal or otherwise.
Pertinent to mention here that China offered eclectricity for Rs.300/per house and Rs.500/per commercial shop, if whole contract is given to them. Other than that its a friend in need and in-deed and fufills our demands of military equipment.
Iran can arrange around 1000MW of electricity in just 60 days to be readily available.
That it is in this context it is widely known, "that we have never learnt from history".
to all those shouting, "how can they sell if they have power cuts", please think before commenting. Electricity cannot be stored in a battery. It gets generated and you have to spend it, else its wasted. Goa or Kerala can have power cuts, but for HUGE country like India, the cost to transmit power from Punjab to Kerala is huge including transmission loss. If there is extra, it is better for punjab to sell the electricity across border at lowest cost and earn double profits. The public money collected from this deal will be used to create power plants elsewhere and solve deficit. Dont forget, India is adding close to 15-18,000 MW electricity to its national grid every year and its companies are buying coal, oil, gas resources from Africa, Australia, SE Asia, central asia, russia and Latin America like crazy...
@ Mohd Rifaye, Man u should make another country in south malaylam land combind of kerala and T,N. and lot of elect from coconut water.
@Man
If I read correctly, the recent load shedding is temporary. The main reason is constraint in coal supply as workers of Coal India went on strike and at the same time railway blockade happened in Telangana region. India produces about 200,000 MW electricity and half of it is powered by coal.
@Mohd Rifaye
India doesn't have smart-grid to distribute electricity, so for states bordering Pakistan, it's easier to supply electricity to Pakistan than some distant Indian state. Also exporting power gives higher earnings. And as far as I've observed, North Indians hate Pakistan more than South Indians do.
how can india sell electricity when right now we have 3 hrs power cuts daily here in goa.
our country need electricity.it is govt choice from where thay bring to nation. it is a possitive decision of zardari.it is good signe for our bussiness in future.we should not involve polytics in every good frame work.
wt happens to them.....in what direction we are going......mind blowing......we should focus on china and iran but.....who are making these decsion....china will surely be annoyed.....pakistanse not keepng there words.
why dont we just take it from iran? your dependability on india may cost you in the future, not bein paranoid here - just realistic.
This must be a joke. India is undergoing a load-shedding of up to nine hours in most of its cities. Pakistani officials must have been forced by the Americans to purchase electricity from a country that does not have any electricity. Pakistan should either be buying elec from Iran or developing coal generation plants with the help of China. Pakistan's problems is not resources but incapable technical and political leadership.