ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday directed timely completion of different ongoing power projects across Pakistan and said he would personally monitor the progress to ensure it.
Chairing meeting of Cabinet Committee on Energy here at the Prime Minister’s House, the prime minister said that significant addition of power to the national grid would minimize load-shedding. He said that increased power generation would also contribute to economic growth through increased industrial activity.
The Water and Power federal secretary briefed the meeting that the year 2015 remained most stable as well as the best period for generation of power during the last ten years due to lowest line losses in terms of technicalities and recovery. There was 5.8% reduction in the line losses during the Year due to better monitoring and robust strategy to eliminate corruption and leakages, the Secretary told the meeting.
The prime minister was informed that there was an increase of Rs. 51 billion in recoveries while Rs.10 billion were saved due to decrease in line losses. The Water and Power secretary said that due to better generation cost and monitoring Rs 57 billion were saved. The meeting was informed that fuel stocks in the country were in excellent shape; peak generation of power was 17000 MWs last year as a result of better efficiency and management.
He said year 2015 was the only year that witnessed the start of facilitation to new IPPs that would generate 12000 MWs of electricity. The prime minister was briefed about timeline of different power projects to be completed by end of 2016 and those that would be operational by end of 2017.
The meeting was assured of active and available 9090 MWs addition to the National Grid by the winters of 2017. The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister for Water & Power Khawaja Asif and the senior officials.
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