ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power “Energy Division” Awais Ahmad Khan Laghari on Thursday said that “Roshan Pakistan” program will eliminate the energy crisis in the country.
In a press conference with Foreign Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Power Awais Laghari said that electricity demand was 25,820 megawatts in Pakistan on May 29, of which 21,588 megawatts were generated and supplied from our system. However, he said the load shedding was 4,232 MW.
He stated that this relief has only occurred on those feeders where there are losses. “From 20 percent to 100 percent where our losses occur, 4,232 megawatts of electricity were not provided,” he added.
Awais Laghari said where the losses are less than 20%, unfortunately the power supply to these feeders remained off for several hours.
The federal power minister said that if they start supplying this electricity to these areas, the losses will increase so much that Pakistan’s economy will be further destroyed. “Until our distribution companies determine their direction and address these losses with the help of provincial governments, this load shedding will continue,” he assured.
He said more steps are being taken in the power sector, including eliminating load shedding and electricity theft. He said that the Roshan Pakistan program will end the energy crisis by showing the demand and supply data of each feeder.
He said reforms in the power sector with the help of provincial governments were necessary. The federal minister further said that they have contacted the provinces and told them to lead by example in preventing electricity theft.
Let me give an example from my area, the minister said, “The place in Dera Ghazi Khan has only three hours of electricity in 24 hours” and added, “It is very easy for me to provide full-time electricity there, but we prefer principle over politics”.
He said reforms in the power sector with the help of provincial governments were inevitable, adding that action would be taken in areas where electricity was stolen and those involved in this malpractice would be punished.
Awais Laghari said he had taken strict measures to prevent electricity theft in his constituency and people involved in electricity theft were also arrested in Dera Ghazi Khan. He said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has assured to provide assistance to reduce electricity theft and a proposal is being prepared with them in this regard.
The minister said complaints related to overcharging of consumers are being addressed. He said DISCOs will share daily electricity demand and supply data which will help in checking load shedding issues.
He said that there were many shortcomings in the distribution sector and added that there would be no compromise on governance in the electricity companies.
He added that next week new boards of energy companies will come.
Awais Laghari said that there is currently no shortage of electricity in the country, with 7000 megawatts of electricity being generated from water. He said, “We have plenty of electricity and transmission capacity”.
When asked, he said that our weakness was in the arbitration lawsuit against NTDC.
The federal minister said that no such systems have been put in place through which the information will reach the public, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, each DISCO will present the details of electricity transmission and load shedding demand.
Awais Laghari said that the data used to be presented on Roshan Pakistan, now the data will be restarted under this program.
He said power supply in lossy areas will increase the energy circular debt a lot, losses in 1978 power supplies in LESCO are 10 percent and load shedding was also done on these power supplies yesterday which is not acceptable.
The reason for the relief is the incompetence of the DISCOs, the General Managers of the DISCOs have been warned that action will be taken against them if the service level does not improve.
In reply to a query, he said that a high-level committee has been set up to investigate frauds in coal procurement, with the ministers of finance, petroleum and defense as members and the committee has started its work in this regard.
To another question regarding net metering, he said that the net metering policy would continue.
Minister of State for Power Division Ali Pervaiz Malik said that the Prime Minister directed them to work hard to provide relief to the people. He said if load shedding is to be stopped then the government should help.
The government will make the electricity generated at a low cost available to the people as the Muslim League-N leadership is determined to provide facilities to the people. He said that he had held a detailed meeting with the heads of all the distribution companies for improvement in the sector.
