PEPCO puts uplift on hold to restore electricity

LAHORE: Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has frozen all development work and will instead be focusing on energising the flood-stricken areas in the coming two weeks.

The company’s director-general energy management and conservation Muhammad Khalid said this at a press briefing on Saturday.

The DG said the company has frozen its developmental programme to carry out the rehabilitation of four power distribution companies. “Peshawar, Multan, Hyderabad and Quetta distribution companies are the worst hit by torrential rains and floods,” he said, adding that the floods have devastated electricity systems in majority of the flood-battered areas, estimating an accumulated loss of Rs10 billion to Pepco’s infrastructure. He said that the restoration of power to these areas is a major challenge for Pepco, for which all resources would be used.

The developmental programme of Pepco has been frozen to achieve the goal of restoration of power supply in the flood-hit areas.

When asked about waiving off electricity bills in flood-hit areas, the DG said the matter was up for discussion and a viable decision would be taken.

Regarding losses to Pepco’s system, he said Rs10 billion has so far been estimated and that exact losses will be determined after carrying out a detailed survey in the stricken areas.

He said that Lahore is suffering due to power shortfall as a result of an overload on the system. However, he said efforts are underway to improve the situation.

Regarding the power shortfall, he said that during the last 24 hours, there was a shortfall of 1,623 megawatts against the generation of 13,695 MW and a demand for 15,318 MW. He said 710 MW is being supplied to KESC.

He said that two hydel power stations, Jigraan, Malakand, and three thermal and one nuclear, Pak Gen, AG Lalpir, Kot Addu and Chashma power plants, are still not working. He praised the performance of Pepco workers and expressed grief over the loss of their officers Abdul Hameed and Ataur Rehman who died while rehabilitating power system in Dera Ismail Khan.

Khalid said that although Pepco is trying hard to provide its consumers with power during Sehar and Iftar, it is unable to do so at some places because of certain local constraints.

He said with KESC’s demand of 650 MW the prime minister had taken the decision that Pepco would provide them with 350 MW and the remaining 300 MW would be generated by KESC itself.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2010.