The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’ s power distribution programme, in cooperation with the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), has started installation of low-tension (LT) capacitors on rural tube-wells in two selected feeders of Taxila subdivision of IESCO.
Currently, the project is assisting Faisalabad electric supply company (FESCO), Multan electric power company (MEPCO) and IESCO in capacitors installation, said a press release issued here. Installation of over 700 LT capacitors in MEPCO has already resulted in an estimated three megawatts reduction in demand, improved voltage and availability of surplus electricity for tube-wells. This assistance to DISCOs is provided as part of the US commitment to support the Pakistan government in reforming the energy sector and addressing the problems of the DISCOs.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) implements these assistance programmes which also support capacity building of DISCOs’ staff and board of directors, installation of equipment to improve power factor, institutional development, gender and energy efficiency. “Installation of 2,600 capacitors on tube-wells will reduce the power demand on the feeders, improve voltage and reduce technical losses,” said Dick Dumford, chief technical adviser of USAID’s Power Distribution Programme.
“The USAID power distribution programme shall continue to assist DISCOs to bring improvements to their systems so the people of Pakistan get the best services. Our plan is to replicate capacitors’ installation in other DISCOs which will further improve power factor and reduce losses”.
USAID’s Power Distribution Program is a three-year, USAID-funded program aimed at working jointly with government-owned DISCOs in Pakistan to improve their performance in terms of reduction in losses, and improvement in revenues and customer services, to bring them to a level of well-run utilities as in other progressive countries. Through this program, the United States Government provides assistance and support to the Pakistan government in its efforts to reform the power sector to end the current energy crisis.
Rawalpindi to be made
pollution-free : District Officer Solid Waste Management Dr Mazhar Azeem said that a comprehensive campaign has been launched to make the city a dust-free.
He said that the cleanliness campaign is underway in 46 union councils of Rawalpindi city and eight union councils of Potohar Town. He said that every effort is being made to make Rawalpindi a model city, this is duty of every one to play its role for the beautification and decoration of the city, he added. He said that the campaign would be made successful; Dr Mazhar Azeem expressed satisfaction over the performance of the department. Earlier, the opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed to the members Punjab Assembly including Ziaullah Shah, Malik Ghulam Raza, Raja Hanif advocate and Sheheryar Riaz along with EDO Municipal Services Imtiaz Ahmad Malik and District Officer Special Planning Ali Imran to ensure visit various areas of the city to supervise general cleanliness. The four MPAs belonging to PML-N appealed people not to throw garbage in the streets and collaborate with sanitation staff in cleanliness drive.
