PM Nawaz, chairing the meeting, directs long-term power supply and demand analysis to meet energy requirements. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD: As the power demand gap approaches 6,000 megawatts, a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE) decided unanimously on Tuesday that no power shutdown will be carried out on account of development work during Ramazan.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, chairing the meeting in Islamabad, emphasised proactive planning to ensure power supply meets demand. He termed it unfortunate that planning by relevant authorities is not undertaken inculcating important contingency factors.
The premier also directed to work out the shifting of scheduled outages of power plants on account of repair and maintenance, from summer to winter so that maximum power could be provided during peak power demand months.
Gap between power demand and supply to hit 6,000MW
Nawaz also asked the ministry of water and power to undertake power supply and demand analysis till the year 2023 so as to undertake integrated long-term planning with regard to fulfilling energy requirements of the country over the foreseeable future.
Earlier, the water and power secretary briefed the meeting on progress on decisions taken in the previous meeting including progress of the interministerial committee of finance, water and power and petroleum and natural resources ministries.
It was also decided that factors including an increase in the use of electric appliances due to economic prosperity and behavioural patterns of power consumers be included in the estimation of projected power demands.
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The meeting also discussed power supply and demand analysis till September 2018 and utilisation of idle power plants. It also accorded in principle the approval for the establishment of a new LNG-based 1,200 MW capacity power plant.
Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif, Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, and other senior officials attended the meeting.
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