Introduce more IPPs to curb power outages: moot

Experts have emphasised the need for introducing more independent power producers (IPPS) to curb hour-long unannounced power outages in the country.
Speakers expressed these views at the 6th International Power Conference and Exhibition on Emerging Energy Mix for Sustainable Power Generation. The Sindh Youth Affairs Department and National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) organised the event. “The independent power producers (IPPs) can generate more energy with more efficiency as compared to public sector, however, government’s facilities and encouragement is required in this regard,” they added.
Abbas Sajid, Renewable Energy Association of Pakistan (REAP) chairman, said that his organisation was imparting training to people in power sector and striving for overcoming power shortages and finding its alternative solutions.
He stressed the need to boost renewable energy production in the country. “We as a nation should come up with concrete measures to foster power generation for socio-economic uplift,” he said.
Abdullah Yusuf, IPPs Advisory Council chairman, said that the power shortage had become a big issue as the country’s population had increased at a high pace. He said it is the need of the hour that effective steps should be taken to produce alternative power like wind and solar energy.
He said that power producers were facing several problems like high cost of generation, governance issue, fuel adjustment, adding that the government should provide incentive to IPPs for generating power in peace. India, China and Russia are generating huge quantity of alternative energy but Pakistan is still lagging behind in this regard.
“The coal power generation in the country should be boosted as it is cheap. There is also need to revise NEPRA tariff, while subsidies and bill collection issues are also hitting power sector hard,” he said. Whole system should be restructured to boost power sector, he added.
He called for creation of energy ministry to resolve power crisis and other issues amicably. He said that privatisation of Discos and Gencos was also mandatory as the government could not tackle all issues itself. “We should rehabilitate Gencos for power conservation. It is private sector which is boosting production but not the public sector,” he added.
Nasim A Khan, Osmani Associates executive director, said wind energy was not being utilised despite it has more potential. He stressed the need to install more wind and other alternative energy projects across Pakistan.
Umer Yaqoob said financing was a major hurdle in energy projects installation. There was need to launch power projects on public private partnership basis, he added. Sindh Youth Affairs Minister Haroon Farooqui said there was need to encourage youth because they were the important segment of the society who played a major role in development. He assured full cooperation for boosting alternative energy sector.
Zubair Malik, president FPCCI, said that electricity was very important for development, adding that steps should be taken to generate alternative energy to meet power needs of the country.
Current debt, governance, price adjustment and other issues facing power sector be addressed on priority basis, he said. It is private sector that is doing business effectively as compared to government. He called for providing power supply to industries for their sustainability and economic stability of the country. “We will not allow industries shift,” he said.
Earlier, in his welcome address, NFEH chief Naeem Qureshi thanked the guests and highlighted the energy updates role in power sector. He said that energy updates raises awareness about new power generation trends and also raises issues facing the power sector. He stressed the need for shifting to alternative energy projects for socio-economic uplift of the country. Besides, Secretary Youth Affairs Department Sindh Naila Wajid also spoke on the occasion. On the occasion, awards were presented to Hamdard University and other organisations for presenting best projects for alternative energy.