Zardari says govt can provide industrialists with oil and power plants and that they can try generating electricity themselves. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
A delegation of industrialists met with the president in Karachi to discuss the ongoing energy crisis and complained about not getting electricity and gas supply, which they said had halted production.
President Zardari proposed that the government can provide industrialists with oil and power plants and that they can try generating electricity themselves. He said this way “industrialists will get an idea of how energy is produced.”
Surprised at the advice given to them, the delegation responded to Zardari’s advice with silence.
The president further said that there was, indeed, an energy crisis in the country, however, the government was trying its best to overcome it.
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Just Stats: If each of 18M consumers of PEPCO and KESC put up 1KW (USD 1200 one time) of grid connected solar system, they will assist the grid by adding 35billion Units of electricity annually. By adding this much energy, oil based power plants can be shutdown. Same energy is produced by running RFO plants at an annual cost of PKR 600billions. Circular debts is evaporated. Need 18000MW panels manufacturing capacity to meet our demand thus created. China manufacturing capacity is 30000MW a year and sitting idle due to demand collapse following recession in Europe. Government needs to implement it microgeneration policy given in Renewable Policy 2006. NEPRA act to be modified to allow such projects without generation licensing regime designed for mega projects. USD 1200 is 1/6 of annual income of six person family.
I know a few people who are doing just that. Bahria town housing estates do that as well and there is no load shedding for them.
@ishrat salim: Agreed. But the industrialists and entrepreneurs should know by now that our government cannot manage projects well. On the other hand I don't think the government is keeping people from setting up power plants--either for themselves or as large projects to sell power to public. That being the case, I don't understand why these entrepreneurs do not invest in power plants independently ...
... and as I write this witness the drama unfolding in the country right now which I think is because of expecting the government to do everything for us and the stupid government agreeing to it.
@Schabboo Khan:
If that is the case, the govt & Mr Zardari should have made policy as such inorder to give incentive for all private industrialists to have their own generation as IPPs idea ( made during Gen M period ).....why started with RPPS in the first instance...now that has backfired due to the order of SC on the basis of report by ADB, which proved to be correct.....Mr Zardari is taking 360 degree turn after creating all the mess....
Strangely there is no mention of percentages
@Lubna:
Cut the crap guys (and lady). Basic economics tells us that if there is demand for something producers can make boatloads of money from it. These industrialists should be setting up power plants instead of bugging the government about supplying power. If they want government involvement, they should be asking for incentives, such as easy licensing, tax holidays for the first few years, etc. etc.
Government CANNOT do everything. It should be ONLY responsible for law and order, defense, printing money and conducting foreign policy because there is either no money in these activities or they are too important to be left to private individuals.
How hard is this to understand?
tired of bhatta, parchi, law and order situation, leave the country zardari advises every pakistani
The only way you can solve power crisis is by alternative energy. Sun is shining bright all the time. Give me an opportunity. I will give you 5000 MW of electricity of Solar Power. All I need is 32,000 acres of secure waste land in which nothing grows. Give me a $475 million and one year's time. You have 5000 MW of electricity. Bhasha dam if when it gets constructed will give you 4,500 MW and at what cost? Two years back it was reported that it would be done in 2 billion dollars now they are talking of over 20 billion dollars. What a waste. The solutions are there if only someone would do something about it. The government should announce subsidy for who so ever puts up solar and generates his own electricity and removes his own burden on the grid. The power crisis will vanish in one year and there would not be any payment of foreign exchange as we will not buy oil. Reduce pollution too.
"Why don't they leave then.......", anyone remember that one?
What most people fail to understand is how much waste is generated by these industries in Pakista,. Wastewater from all these industries is thrown away "UNTREATED" to fresh water resources in Pakistan! in addition, Karachi alone produces more than 8000tons of solid waste! all this could be utlitized individually by industry to produce industry! Baggasse is the major waste product of Sugar Industry which could be utlized to produce WASTE TO ENERGY ! Appeal: please Read and Understand ALTERNATE ENERGY SOURCES and try to convince industrialist that save billions of dollars (without paying taxes, destroying the resources and so much more) instead of criticizing someone who is ADVISING THE RIGHT THING! please get SUBSTANCE rather than "comments" even ILLITERATE FARMERS know all this!
Hey you guys....after the 8th amendment and decentralization....power has been devolved to the provinces, however, it is the federal govt who has kept the strings in its hand through EConomic coordination council under ministry of economic affairs and partly finance for financial appraisal...due to this Punjab govt, even though tried its best has not been able to get one power project implemented in five years....
What is wrong with President Zardari's suggestion? Those industrialist should visit CJP. May be he can give a better an answer. It is a good idea and great ideas are brewed in the time of crisis. when all else fail. decentralization always work.
@Ali Baloch: Since when wikipedia got that much authentic? Projects are run in physical locations not wikipedia.
"Surprised at the advice given to them, the delegation responded to Zardari’s advice with silence."
Ever seen someone roll their eyes & stay mum after you say something stupid.
I believe if really given a free hand and 0 red tapism, industrialist can easily pool in money and setup power plants, and the people who can run their industries in such disasterous condition can easily run power plants. A few things need to be in place however, no interference from NEPRA, no interference from politicians, & no intereference from federal government
Dear industrialists, look me in the eye and check "do i really care"???
he forgot to add "who's stopping them?"
@omair shahid: because the people who will vote him can't read this news..... democracy is not the right solution for a nation without education
@what? check wikipedia the govt has started and most will be completed by the end of 2013 while the rest will be completed by mid 2015-2016. Just because a Tv Anchor says this govt has done nothing or democracy doesn't work it does not make it the truth.
For once in my life I agree with Zardari. Alternative power solutions or at least supporting the government to create power is important. WHERE is the power going to come from? The government cannot generate it out of thin air, it needs a lot of investment and unfortunately no one invests in energy the way the government needs them to, plus corruption means that money given there disappears anyway. We invest very little in green energy, I haven't heard of any major innovations in solar energy at all, despite the southern half of Pakistan practically being a desert. People of Pakistan need to accept some responsibility for the power crisis as well. (Please turn your ACs off at night.)
@umar please get your facts right, the govt has not started 8000 MW but has started planning to construct those. while feasibility is done, the amount of US$ required to complete the project is so magnanimous that it will take 2-3 years to arrange if started now (if arranged at all). further dam hydel projects take 8- to 10 years while run of the river take 4-5 years to build. thats long term and the govt seriousness on continuity of seriousness for such a period is questionable.
Tired of law and order situation? Get your own police too! We are busy doing corruption and taking revenge through democracy.
dear this gov has started 8000 MW energy generating projects those are Hydral one
haahaaahaaahaaahaaahaaahaaahaaahaaa...this is is getting funnier...
hahaha what a funny reply by the President :p
If they cannot produce their own electricity, why don't they leave?
hahaha still people want to vote for this corrupted parties who have destroyed Pakistan from top to bottom think about it.
I heard from one of my friend from Sialkot. That Sialkot chamber is willing and capable to install its own electricity generation unit. However, one of the most influential person and a powerful person came into play and halted the entire proposal. That person asked what would i get from this plant? I hope u understand.
Then why not do everything ourselves? Mr Good-for-nothing President, you should resign and go home. People didn't elect your party to see your charming face on TV and newspapers. If you can't do anything yourself, move over and let someone competent and capable of resolving the problems of the people come forward. Obviously you're not here to work for anyone but in your own personal interests. Shame on a President saying this to his own people!
Industrialists can also look for rental power projects:) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This advice from the PM.
He clearly doesn't care about the fate of this country. It remains an enigma how he easily he came into power, and why his supposed backers would invest their interests in such an unpopular 'leader'.
.....yes of course! and common people should be running guns and forming their own militias to protect themselves, then they will see how difficult it is to keep law and order in the country! Also, don't forget to lynch anyone you suspect of being a criminal, and while you are at it, grow your own food, dig wells for water etc etc etc..... and finally you'll realise how difficult it is to provide the people with these basic needs. JUST STOP HASSLING THE GOVT!!!
what ? no comments !
So the city administrations should look for power producers too?
Live long Democracy ...