CPEC contributing towards reducing energy crises in Pakistan: Federal Cabinet meeting told

Islamabad: Federal Cabinet has been told that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was contributing towards reducing the energy crises in Pakistan.

Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan informed the federal cabinet meeting – chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif –that Karot hydropower project of 720 megawatts under the CPEC had now been made operational.

“The CPEC is playing a positive role in covering up the energy shortage. We hope to bring it (energy shortage) under control,” he added.

The cabinet was informed that the projects of 4623 megawatts will become operational by next year. “A total of 7000 megawatts of electricity will come to the system including from these projects as well as solar power and private net metering by next year which will help address the issue of load-shedding,” he maintained.

Referring to the increased inflow of water into Tarbela, he was confident that the electricity production from this source will reach to the maximum of 3500 megawatts in the next few days whilst generation of 1100 megawatts from K-2 nuclear plant will also start in the same period which will help reduce load shedding to a great extent and help provide relief to the people during Eidul Azha – second week of July.

The Ministry for Power mentioned that the government was also considering a comprehensive policy on solar energy. He said the focus will be on large scale plants as well as supporting the small consumers to install small plants. “The government buildings will also be converted to solar,” he contended.

On this occasion, Adviser on Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira said the Prime Minister has directed to minimize the power outages to three hours.

In his remarks, Minister for Board of Investment (BOI) Chaudhry Salik Hussain underlined that the present government was serious to address the problems faced by the people including that of the power outages.

The Federal Cabinet meeting decided to install only indigenous fuel power plants in future to meet the growing electricity requirements of the country. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the current load-shedding in the country.

Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a comprehensive plan should be prepared for handing over of power distribution companies to the provinces.

He underscored that the provinces had a better enforcement capacity and strategy regarding the distribution. The Prime Minister directed the Minister for Power to visit the two best performing and two worst performing power distribution companies, and present a regard regarding their difference in performance.

Shehbaz Sharif also directed the Ministry of National Food Security to prepare a plan at the earliest for conversion of tube wells to solar.

Discussing the line losses in the power sector, the cabinet meeting decided to prepare a plan to bring down them. Voicing concerns over the circular debt, it was agreed to accelerate efforts to bring it down.

Later, briefing the media persons, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the existing electricity generation capacity is 23900 megawatts whilst the demand reached the historic level of 30, 000 megawatts last month.