Energy crisis: Prolonged power outages bring life to standstill in Swat
“[Because of the power outages], we have suffered heavy financial losses and we don’t know what to do next,” Ali Rehman, a tailor in Amankot said.
Bilal, who works at a silk mill had a similar story to tell. “In two hours of work, we are only making Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 a month which cannot pay our bills. For how long can we go on borrowing money?” he said.
Professionals working in computer-related fields are facing the same issue. “On regular days, we would earn Rs2,000 to Rs4,000 which has come down to Rs200 only,” said Luqman Khan, a computer composer and designer.
Those who have arranged for generators are charging three to four times more for their services. “[A single print of a page] used to cost Rs20 but now with the generator on, the price has gone up to Rs60,” said Faisal Khan, a student who was printing an assignment at a shop.
When contacted, an official at the Mingora Grid Station, Fawad Khan, said that the power outages are observed on the directives of the Regional Control Centre (RCC) located in Islamabad and the local setup has no authority to reduce it.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.
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presently Pakistan has the electricity production capacity of 19505 MW . Out of this approx. 12580 MW capacity is based on residual fuel oil/ furnace oil and 6463 MW capacity is based on gas. Nuclear power production capacity is 463 MW The actual production has shrunk by approx 49 % and there is a shortfall of 6500 to 8500 MW on non peak and peak hours.
Up coming power projects through PPIB ( Private Power & Infrastructure Board) are at Dera Murad Jamali , Balochistan of 375 MW capacity based on fossil fuel expected to complete by Dec. 2013 . anothr at Arifala at Punjab having 147 MW by Dec 2014 Hydel power at KPK/ AJK at Kunhar river with 147 MW capacity expected to operate by Dec 2013 or earlier. Coal based power project (on imported coal) is another project which is expected to be operative by the year 2018 ( if every thing went correct as envisaged) Electricity production based ob fossil fuel is very costly and government has to subsidize it . during the financial year 2012 the power subsidy has reached at approx, 500 billion rupees . So any further electricity production on based on fossil fuel/ furnace oil will increase the subsidy and also the budget deficit.. Govt is finding it difficult to provide adequate energy subsidy. Under these circumstances the power outage will remain to continue for another next few years unless some miracle happens.