PEPCO to add 1,150MW by summer

Five new power plants to start operations.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) will add 1,150 megawatts (MW) of electricity with the commissioning of five new power plants by summer.

Briefing the media at Wapda House here on Tuesday, Pepco Director General, Energy Management and Conservation, Engineer Muhammad Khalid said that three power plants of 225MW each, including Liberty Tech, Hubb at Narowal and Helmor at Bhikkhi, Foundation of 175MW and Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-II of 300MW will be generating electricity by summer this year.

To a question, he said electric supply was being suspended for as much as three to five hours to urban centres while rural areas had to face eight hours of load shedding during the last 24 hours.

Pepco, he explained, is facing a 575MW shortfall due to suspension of gas supply for three months (December to February), as per agreement, to three Independent Power Producers (IPPs) of 225MW each, including Safire, Orient and Saif. However, only Orient Power is contributing a mere 100MW to the main power system a day, he added.

Khalid said that hydel power generation was improving as outflow and water indents at Tarbela and Mangla Dams had increased with the reopening of canals after de-silting.

However, the two canals, which were to be opened on January 31, would now be reopened on February 5, he said, adding power stations at Tarbela Dam contributed 1,992MW and Mangla Dam 726MW during the last 24 hour, while generation at Ghazi Barotha had also increased.

During the last six months, he said, Pepco had provided 328,063 connections, including 291,203 domestic, 26,180 commercial, 4,058 industrial, 6,484 tube well and 138 miscellaneous connections.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2011.