Low performing power plants being shut down across Pakistan

A high-level meeting on power sector reforms met here on Wednesday discussed the issue of circular debt, and a road map for advancing the matters agreed with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) plans for improving the performance of various power distribution companies (Discos).

The meeting was informed that some low-performing power plants with a generation capacity of 1,794 megawatts of electricity were being closed immediately, while more plants with a capacity of 1,875MW would also be shut down along with privatisation of 1,872MW power plants in the next two years.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the meeting, which was also attended by federal ministers Shibli Faraz, Asad Umar, Umar Ayub Khan, Muhammadmian Soomro and Dr Farogh Naseem, Adviser on Finance Dr Hafeez Sheikh, special assistants Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Nadeem Babar, Shehzad Qasim, Dr Shehbaz Gill, and senior officials of the ministries concerned.

In his remarks on the occasion, the prime minister said that the people were facing the burden of past decisions about the power sector, mismanagement and corruption etc. Highlighting the importance of taking forward the matters agreed with the IPPs, he said the reduction in the circular debt would directly benefit the masses.

Imran said that the government was working on making the subsidy system transparent and fair on a priority basis. He called for early finalisation of reforms in the system of subsidy for the energy sector so that the deserving and poverty-stricken people could be helped.

The prime minister said the reforms process in the energy sector was the foremost priority of the government, therefore, meetings to review the progress in this respect would be held on a weekly basis. He directed that the masses should be updated regularly on the matters relating to the power sector.