PM asked to address Makran power woes

In a letter Balochistan CM requests the PM to raise the issue with Iranian authorities

QUETTA:

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal has written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan on the unavailability of electricity in Makran Division, requesting the PM to raise the issue with Iranian authorities and work out a mechanism to connect Makran Division to the national grid.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Jam Kamal on Wednesday drew his attention to the ongoing power crisis in Makran Division and said that Kech, Gwadar and Panjgur has a population of over 1.4 million. Quetta Electric Supply Company supplies 100 MW of electricity from Iran through a 132 kV transmission line.

He said that the electricity supplied was sufficient for the connected areas in the past but now the electricity demand is going up by 6 per cent on an annual basis.

“Demand for electricity is increasing and 150 MW of electricity is required to meet the needs of the division,” Jam Kamal said.

He said that for unknown reasons, power supply from Iran has been suspended for several days this summer and only 10 MW of electricity is reaching the entire division as a result in the scorching heat, power outages continues in the division.

The Chief Minister said that due to lack of power, development works in the division, especially CPEC projects, are being adversely affected which is not a good omen for development activities.

He asked the Ministry of Energy and Power Division to take up the issue of electricity with the Iranian authorities and also to work out a mechanism to connect the important region of the province to the national grid so that relief could be provided to the people of Makran Division.

Jam Kamal said in a tweet that the energy problem in Balochistan is serious and has been raised with the Prime Minister.

He said that Federal Minister Zubaida Jalal has also raised this issue in the federal cabinet.

He urged locals to cooperate with administration, as the electricity is being imported from another country, which is a complex matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2021.