PHOTO: ONLINE
“Details [about load-shedding] will be made public during a press conference by the federal government scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday),” said the caretaker Federal Minister for Information Barrister Ali Zafar on Monday, while talking to media after the opening ceremony of a calligraphy exhibition.
“Under the Article 98-A, people are entitled to know facts of any important issue. Therefore, the government will make public whatever the facts are regarding the electricity shortage,” he added.
Zafar said the government has also invited water experts from across the country to discuss the ongoing water situation in the country and to get their suggestions to deal with the crisis.
Imran Khan, the PTI chairman, had written a letter to the caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, urging him to make full disclosure of reasons behind current energy crisis. The PTI has also announced it will hold countrywide protests on Tuesday today against the blackouts.
Commenting on the PTI protest, the minister said every political party and individual has the constitutional right to record their protest.
The spectre of load-shedding reared its head again this summer as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government completed its five year term. The PML-N claims it has delivered on its promise.
However the Ministry of Energy on Monday admitted before a parliamentary panel that the country is facing 4,599 Megawatt (MW) power shortfall, belying the PML-N claims.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Power, the Power Division Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar said power demand of the country stands at 23,301 MW whereas power generation is 18,742 MW, registering a shortfall of 4,599 MW.
“It is practically impossible to say that country is having zero load-shedding,” he said.
Briefing on load management, Khokhar said people on 62 per cent feeders are facing zero load-shedding whereas the consumers on category-2 and -3 are facing two-hour load shedding during Ramazan.
“The government has also directed not to resort to load-shedding during Sehr and Iftar on those feeders where the losses are high” he added.
He said record 20,800 MW electricity was produced this year but power distribution system is unable to pick this power. He said the power distribution companies could not use this power due to constraints in the system. He also admitted that transmission system was also unable to pick this power.
Khokhar said power distribution companies facing high losses have no money to improve their power systems. “Pesco, Hesco and Qesco required Rs9 billion, Rs3 billion and Rs1.20 billion respectively to improve the power system. These companies are unable to provide supply to the consumers despite having allocated electricity quota due to constraints in their distribution systems,” he said.
He said that Power Division had demanded that the government allocate Rs20 billion in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to start development projects to improve their distribution systems but the government refused to allocate this amount.
“These companies are also facing power theft and power division had written letters to the chief ministers to cooperate to stop this theft. But no government machinery is being used to counter this power theft,” he added.
Pesco chief said their demand was 2,700 MW but power system was unable to use this electricity due to constraints in the system. He said that system of Pesco could not pick more than 2,100MW.
Senator Sadia Abbasi demanded that different parts of Sindh should be provided electricity. Senator Maula Bakhsh Chandio protested over delay in electricity schemes in remote areas of Sindh province.]
Khokhar said there would be no benefit even if electricity schemes are initiated in Sindh province due to power theft. He said areas of Sindh are already getting less electricity due to power theft.
Members of committee also inquired about 36 per cent losses of Pesco.
Pesco chief said that power theft is at peak in Pesco region and 200 feeders out of total 992 feeders have 80 per cent losses. “As many as 400 feeders are facing 60 per cent losses. An amount of Rs9 billion is required to improve the power system,” he added.
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