ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Monday said that providing affordable electricity to the people through implementation of power reforms is the top priority of the government.
In an interview with a private news channel, he said that the government is carefully examining the issues of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and will soon reduce the electricity prices through dialogue and consultation with them.
The government’s priority was to look after the interests of the people, not elites or capitalists, he added.
Talking about the hydro projects, he said, “About 10,000 megawatts will be added to the system through these projects.”
In response to a question about negotiations with China, the minister emphasized: “The key aspect was debt reprofiling, which is expected to reduce electricity prices and increase electricity demand.”
Another key part of these reforms is the conversion of power plants from imported coal to local coal, which could significantly reduce the cost per unit of electricity, he added.
The minister emphasized the government’s commitment to energy sector reforms and expressed his belief that these measures will solve persistent problems and stabilize the financial structure of the sector.
“The Government is committed to protecting lower income electricity users and has stressed that this protection remains a top priority,” he added.
