Easing power crisis: 2,500MW to be added to grid by Feb 2015, says PM

Orders reading of electricity meters at least once every three months

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday directed the ministries of petroleum and natural resources, water and power and finance division to ensure that additional electricity of 2,400 to 2,500MW comes to the system by February 2015, both in the case of LNG and new on-site generation.

He said line losses and theft of electricity should be controlled at all costs and serious steps be taken against theft of gas, irrespective of official status of the persons involved. He issued these instructions while chairing a joint ministerial meeting of the energy sector held at the Prime Minister House. Attendees included cabinet ministers Khwaja Asif, Chaudhry Nisar, Parvaiz Rashid, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khawaja Saad Rafique.



The prime minister was briefed about the status of LNG import and its availability for the power sector. He was informed that first consignment will reach Pakistan by February 2015 and to be available to the power sector.

Premier Nawaz gave approval for making the consignment available to Kot Addu power plant which will generate 1,200MW, as well as four other private power plants – Orient, Saif, Saphire and Halmore – which will collectively produce 800MW of electricity. The consignment will also be provided to Jamshoro power plant for producing 400 to 500MW.

Work on other projects, including Fast Track LNG terminal, SSGC LNG terminal, Gwadar Nawabshah LNG terminal and pipeline, Private LNG terminals, GEI, PGPL and Bahria to import 2bcfd LNG, enough to generate up to 15,000MW, will be expedited.

The prime minister was also informed that there are opportunities for producing affordable power from mobile mounted on-site power plants through 26 gas fields in the country having a potential to generate 1,000MW.

He also directed the relevant agencies to implement the already provided tax relief in the LNG policy. He also directed the water and power ministry to ensure that in future if bills are issued without meter-reading, it is specified on the bill that this is a ‘presumptive bill’, and any excess amount charged will be adjusted when the meter is read. The meter will be read at least once every three months.

The prime minister said the public demand for affordable electricity was justified and also a promise of the PML-N government. He vowed to regularly chair meetings of relevant ministries for better coordination and to achieve desired results within the stipulated timeframe.

Nawaz said all those working in relevant departments have to work round the clock. He said any lapse will not go unpunished and any good work they do will not go unrewarded.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2014.