Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Monday directed the Ministry of Water and Development to take immediate measures for the resolution of tariff issues and for ensuring minimum load-shedding during the holy month of Ramazan. The Prime Minister was chairing the third consecutive meeting of Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCOE).
Prime Minister urged the line departments to work out immediate solutions for the administrative and legal issues faced during the implementation of energy projects, on priority.
The National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) was directed to pick up the pace on work on high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines and other smaller transmission lines’ projects. The Prime Minister also directed the attendees of the meeting to carry out a comparative study on the efficiency of various power sources and to present it in the next CCOE meeting.
The Prime Minister said that the government was working on multiple options for power generation so that consumers are provided with uninterrupted power supply. The government, he said, is focusing on adding baseload thermal power projects which shall ensure availability of power throughout the year.
Secretary Water and Power briefed the meeting on current load management plan, implementation status of the said plan, the progress of the ongoing energy projects and enhancement of transmission system, according to a statement from the PM House. He said during the present government’s tenure a total of 9,625 MW in 132 kV and 2,004 MW in 11 kV systems have been added to the transmission system. He termed it an unprecedented step.
Chairman WAPDA briefed the meeting on the progress of Hydel power projects including Dasu, Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dam.