The president has yet again taken note of loadshedding, and yet again called another energy conference. This vicious cycle will continue until the structural problems of the current system are not solved. One long-term solution could be induction of hydel power into the system. At the time when the IPPs were inducted, it was foolishly thought that oil prices would remain static and no long term hydel project was initiated. Even now all will not be lost if construction is started of the only dam that can be commissioned in less than five years to overcome shortages of power and water and to revive the economy of Pakistan. Bhasha dam will be too little too late, at best a replacement for Mangla and Tarbela dams which will have lost considerable capacity for storage and generation by then.
ENGR KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore