5,000MW added to national grid, announces minister

Several CPEC projects launched in power sector in past year

LAHORE:

Federal Power Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Monday that the coalition government has managed to inject 5,000 megawatts (MW) of additional electricity into the system within a year.

Addressing a press conference at the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) headquarters, he explained that 1,980MW had been added to the national grid from the Thar coal power plant, three plants with a cumulative generation of 1,100MW had been inaugurated in Karachi and 720MW projects neglected by previous government had now started generation, while the testing of 1,200MW Punjab thermal plants would begin soon.

"We have brought back electricity in the country, which faced scarcity from 2018 to 2022 due to negligence of the former government," he added.

Dastgir alleged that the previous government, in its four-year rule, had created economic turmoil and made no progress on energy projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said the current government had launched various projects under the CPEC, especially in the power sector, at full speed.

The minister said the government would give a tariff differential subsidy of Rs150 billion to keep the price of electricity equal in the whole country, besides offering a Rs58 billion relief package for agriculture tube-wells in Balochistan and a relief of Rs315 billion for those living in Karachi.

He said he had discussed in detail with LESCO authorities the matters pertaining to bills recovery, maintenance and improvement in the region's power system. There was no shortage of equipment, including power meters, in the LESCO and other distribution companies (Discos), while shortages of field staff such as meter readers and linemen was also being addressed to ensure early resolution of power complaints and correct meter reading.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2023.