US-Pakistan partnership: Facility inaugurated to manage power distribution

US ambassador says centre will help Pakistan in overcoming power crisis.

LAHORE: US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson said the US government was proud to be working in tandem with the Pakistan government in helping the power crisis-ridden country.

He expressed his views at the inauguration ceremony of the Network Operations Centre located in Lahore Water and Power Development Authority Office. The facility has been established through a partnership between Pakistan’s electricity distribution companies and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).



The facility would serve to alleviate the energy crisis by allowing more effective management of available electricity and reduce unscheduled load-shedding throughout the country.

The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems in all 10 government-owned power distribution companies (DISCOs), which will effectively allocate electricity.

“Consumers need to be aware of the planned load-shedding in advance to effectively schedule their business and personal needs,” said Olson. “The National Power Control Centre will play a vital role in helping Pakistanis navigate their day-to-day lives by helping the distribution companies better handle electricity supply.”

Currently, unscheduled and unpredictable load-shedding is one of the most visible manifestations in Pakistan’s power crisis.

It is a consequence of power shortages and the inefficient distribution of electricity that affects both residential and business consumers.

The inauguration of the Network Operations Centre is another step towards the country attempting to resolve the power crisis.

As part of the US government energy sector assistance programme, USAID has funded renovations at Tarbela, Jamshoro, Mangla, Guddu, and Muzaffargarh power plants, aided the completion of Gomal Zam and Satpara dams, and helped improve power distribution throughout Pakistan.

By the end of 2014, these efforts are expected to add a cumulative total of 1,400 megawatts to Pakistan’s national power grid, benefitting approximately 16 million people nationwide.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2014.

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