Pakistan has been facing an energy crisis since 2007. The main reason for the current crisis is that in the past no efforts were made to ensure increase in power-generation capacity along with increase in population growth. Starting from housewives, traders, businessmen, students, ministers all are the victims of the shortage of energy.
Wapda and KESC purchase expensive oil and transfer the cost to consumers. When governments purchase more oil, prices in the international market also increase. When the price of electricity is raised, the whole economy gets disturbed as a result of inflation and increase in the prices of items of everyday use.
Energy crisis has destroyed at least 50 percent of the industrial sector that leads to increase in the rate of unemployment. It badly affects the fixed income group because cost of goods and services increase. The current shortage of electricity in Pakistan clearly implies failure on the part of the government to tackle it. The energy crisis in Pakistan can be overcome if we individually make an effort to conserve energy. The reasons of energy shortage in Pakistan are:
One very important reason attributed to this energy shortage is the aging of the generating equipment which could not develop the electricity as per the design requirement.
This is the responsibility of continuous updating the equipment and keeping the high standard of maintenance. We sincerely think a serious thought should be given for general overhaul and maintenance of existing equipment to keep them in good working order.
Pakistan is blessed with large amount of the coal. Again no serious work is done to explore the coal for power generation. Government is looking for private sector to play its role.
A massive investment from government itself in generating units for conventional as well as new technologies is needed. Once the government sector embarks on massive plans then private sector will follow immediately. In spite of higher costs immediate relief is only possible with thermal power plants which can be specially made in 24 months time. A comprehensive and realistic planning will help to develop generating units in Pakistan which will be a catalytic element for the economic growth, poverty elevation and prosperity in Pakistan.
Wapda highlights the poor distribution system as the main cause of tripping and breakdown of the system. This is true that the distribution system causes many unwanted tripping and breakdowns but the shortage of energy generation is our main cause of the problem for the last 20 years.
BILAL ASIF
Lahore
