Power crisis: Abid Sher Ali now says no load-shedding in 2017

Pledges decrease in electricity tariff, mentions govt initiatives

MULTAN: There would be no load-shedding in 2017 due to effective initiatives taken by the government for power generation, said State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali.

He said minimising line losses and ensuring 10% recovery target was the top priority of the government, while addressing a press conference at Mepco Headquarters.

“Different initiatives are being taken by the government to redress the issue of load-shedding. Power generation was 13,500 to 14,000MW during the year 2013-14, but it has now increased to 16,900MW, “he said, adding that 1,320 megawatt from Tarbela Extension-4and 1,320 megawatt from Sahiwal power plant would be added to the national grid by June 2017, while two new coal power plants would also be made operational by 2017 at Port Qasim.



He said the previous government got no work done on the transmission lines or new grid stations, which caused losses. “New transmission lines are being laid with enhanced capacity of 5500 megawatt from December 2016; this would help decrease line losses from 50 to 60%.”

He further added that 50% work on transmission lines had been completed at the Neelum Jehlum project and the remaining work would be completed by 2016.

He said the incumbent government had also decreased Rs6.50 per unit in electricity and it would further be decreased after shifting the system on coal or gas. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2015.

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