Yet another promise: Load-shedding to end by March 2018, says Abid Sher Ali

Water and power minister says around 9,000 MW electricity will be added in the system in two years

HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz government has given yet another deadline to end the power crisis in the country. The water and power minister Abid Sher Ali announced on Monday that load-shedding will come to an end by March, 2018.

"We are going to add 8,000 to 9,000 megawatts electricity in the system by that time," Ali said during a press conference at Hyderabad Electric Supply Company office. The minister boasted about saving Rs135 billion in 2015 by decreasing the line losses, increasing recovery of arrears and fuel adjustment due to the slump in the global price of oil. "The year 2015 was the best year for the energy sector as not only a large sum of money was saved but also a number of new power projects were launched," he said.

According to him, one of the reasons behind the power crisis is the faulty transmission lines, which are functioning at two-thirds of their capacity. However, he added that the problem will be addressed within the next two to three months.

Ali further said that power production in 2015 peaked to 16,900 megawatt (MW) and the government is looking forward to cross that milestone of 17,000 MW in 2016.

Ali defended the government's policy of expediting the privatisation drive. "For the sake of some people we cannot throw the public money into the fire. Billions of rupees are being wasted to run these organisations," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th,  2016.