Delays in power projects

Very few things would take priority for the government over its commitment to end power outages in the country by the end of its term in 2018. But when there are reports making the rounds that there could be a possible delay in completing power projects that would help achieve that goal, it is bound to annoy the prime minister. With more than half the PML-N government’s term over, the completion of two crucial projects is likely to be delayed. The authorities are fighting a race against time to complete the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project and the Tarbela-IV Extension before the general elections. If that does not happen, the prime minister’s hopes of staying true to his word regarding adding thousands of megawatts of electricity to the national grid will be dashed.

The Wapda chairman has repeatedly assured that work on the Tarbela-IV Extension would be completed by June 2017, but a delay is in the offing. Meanwhile, despite cost revisions that have seen the estimate shoot up by over 100 per cent, the Neelum-Jhelum project is also unlikely to be completed on time. The issue with the delays is not just about the projects not being ready to supply much-needed electricity. There are also serious concerns about cost revisions, which will take a great toll on the government’s finances. For long, bureaucratic red tape and an inefficient organisational structure have hindered the country’s development on various fronts. While the government at times is all too ready to boast about the few power projects that have allowed some relief to the energy sector, there still remain important projects, which if not implemented, are likely to derail the progress Pakistan is hoping to make. With energy needs bound to go up, the country can ill-afford to be found wanting in terms of making progress in the power sector. At the same time, despite some reforms being initiated, deep-rooted issues in the sector remain intact. It is of utmost importance that the government ensures the completion of the two said projects in time as Pakistan’s long-term economic progress depends increasingly on resolving our energy needs.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th,  2016.

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