Let there be light: K-Electric needs to enhance generation capacity, says CM

Shah says transmission and distribution system need improvement too

KARACHI: K-Electric (KE) has to chalk out a detailed plan to enhance its generation capacity and improve its transmission and distribution systems, said Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah during a meeting on Friday.

Shah said his government is giving special attention to the development of Karachi but all their uplift schemes without meeting the city's energy demands would make little difference.

He was presiding over a meeting to review the power utility's generation capacity and its future endeavours that was attended by KE CEO Tayyab Tareen and other senior officials of the power company and the provincial government.



Briefing the CM, Tareen said at present there was a demand of 3,056 megawatts (MW) against which 2,635MW were available in the system. The shortfall of 421MW is covered through load management, he informed. He also briefed the CM on measures put in place to curb load-shedding and the 'menace' of power theft by using kundas. The KE chief also said that Karachi's peak demand is expected to reach over 4.5 gigawatts (GW) by the year 2023. He further informed that the power company has received applications of new connections worth 2.5GW by 2020, which include 600MW for Bahria Town, 100MW for DHA City and 50MW for Textile City.

Talking about KE's future plans for power generation, Tareen claimed that by the year 2026, there would be a 106MW surplus of electricity as the demand would reach 5,243 against the capacity of 5,349MW.

The CM was also told that an investment of $1.6 billion has been planned to increase generation capacity by adding 1,983MW through independent power producers and 2,300MW from external power producers in the system.

Shah urged the power company's chief to ensure the shortfall in electricity is curtailed so the public is given maximum relief.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2016.