ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power Monday was informed that there would be no power loadshedding during Sehar and Iftar in the upcoming holy month of Ramzan.
The committee, which met with Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar in chair, reviewed loadshedding schedule announced for the summer 2016, loadshedding plan during the holy month and functioning of power distribution companies.
Secretary Ministry of Water and Power Muhammad Younas Daga informed the committee that currently zero loadshedding was being observed on industrial feeders. However, there might be some hours power loadshedding for the industry to ensure smooth supply to domestic consumers during Saher and Iftar timings in the holy month of Ramzan. He said that directives were also issued to K-Electric to ensure power supply during Saher and Iftar and negotiation was underway with the company in this regard.
The secretary said more distribution companies should be allowed in Karachi for power supply which would not only help better service to the consumers but also break monopoly of KE. Younas apprised the committee that the accumulative power generation was 19,700 MW. Some 36 per cent electricity was being generated through hydel, 30 per cent from furnace oil and eight per cent from liquefied natural gas (LNG), he added.
The secretary said that the country would be self sufficient by 2018 in power generation. He said power recoveries stood at 93 per cent while losses were curtailed up to 18 per cent. He said that some wind projects having accumulative capacity of 200 MW would start generation in June. As many as 2400 MW electricity would be generated next year through LNG based plants besides 200 MW solar energy.
Daga said the transmission system in the country was not sufficient for supplying of power to the consumers. The committee was apprised that National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) was facing problem for acquiring land for setting up Chakdra and Nowshera grid stations. The meeting was attending by Senators Nisar Muhammad, Nouman Wazir, Ahmed Hassan and other officials.
