Power woes: Caretaker minister tipped to become energy consultant

Malik briefs govt about the need for a new business model.

ISLAMABAD: Former caretaker water and power minister Dr Musaddik Malik is being tipped to be appointed an energy consultant for a short tenure by the new government for his advice and suggestions to tackle the energy crisis that has disrupted life and business frequently across the country.

“The PML-N government is mulling over a proposal to appoint Malik as an energy consultant for three months to seek his input on the power sector,” an official told The Express Tribune.

Former caretaker water and power minister Dr Musaddik Malik being tipped as energy consultant in new government has proposed the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) to add at least 7000 megawatt (MW) in the national grid during five year term to overcome power crisis.

When approached, Malik denied receiving any formal invitation from the government. However, he said, “I have briefed a government’s team about my experiences as the caretaker power minister.”

He told them that the government would have to enhance power production by at least 6,000 to 7,000MW in the next five years to bridge the widening demand-supply gap.

Stressing that there are several issues in the power sector that require immediate attention, he said the government would need to revisit the economic model and settle tariff matters.

According to sources, Malik told the government team that the present business model for the power sector did not allow real investors to come forward and only dubious investors were making investments.

He had also informed that huge payments were being made to private power producers in the name of capacity payments in a highly questionable manner which was full of corruption. He had also informed that the high transmission and distribution losses had chocked the whole energy chain which need to be addressed.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2013.

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