US committed to Pakistan’s energy development

The United States is strengthening Pakistan’s energy sector and helping it to end energy shortages. In this effort, USAID Punjab Acting Director Gail Spence distributed certificates to mangers from nine power sector distribution companies (DISCOs) who completed a US-funded five-day “Planning and Engineering” training program.
The training aims to modernise the Planning and Engineering (P&E) sectors of the DISCOs improving energy distribution across Pakistan. “I am confident that, thanks to this training, Pakistan will now be better able to meet its power sector reform targets and reduce the energy crisis,” Ms Spence remarked.
The USAID Power Distribution Program organised the training in close collaboration with the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO). The four year USAID Power Distribution Programme is a testament to the United States’ commitment to supporting Pakistan’s energy sector.
Through the Power Distribution Programme, USAID is helping DISCOs modernise equipment, receive expert consultations, and introduce international best practices to ensure a more reliable supply of power to consumers.
Congratulating the participants Ms Spense remarked, “The United States works with the public-sector power distribution companies to improve their operations and reduce their losses, ultimately, ensuring that consumers have a more reliable supply of power.”
In addition to supporting improvements in the power distribution system, the United States is renovating and completing several power plants across the country and introducing energy efficiency measures in Pakistan. These changes could restore or add up to 1,000 Mega Watts of power generation capacity to the national grid by 2013 and contribute to the reduction of power shortages across Pakistan.
Senior engineers from IESCO (Islamabad), PESCO (Peshawar), MEPCO (Multan), GEPCO (Gujranwala), FESCO (Faisalabad), LESCO (Lahore), HESCO (Hyderabad), QESCO (Quetta), and SEPCO (Sukkur) attended the five-day training. Others present at the occasion included: Dick Dumford (Chief Technical Advisor, PDP), Saleem Arif (Deputy Chief of Party, PDP), and Sharafat Ali Sayal (CEO LESCO).