Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has directed the ministry of finance to immediately release the due amount of PEPCO for onward payment to PSO for resuming full supplies of fuel to the thermal power plants.
The direction was given by the prime minister while chairing a special emergency meeting at PM’s House on the current acute energy shortfall in the country.
The prime minister also directed the ministry of petroleum and natural resources for ensuring restoration of full supplies of fuels to the power plants, including KAPCO and HABCO, so that they can generate electricity to ease the electricity shortage in the country. Full restoration of the fuel supplies to these two plants will generate additional 2000 MW electricity, which will greatly help in lowering the intensity of the energy shortfall.
The meeting reviewed the energy conservation measures and the minister for water and power was directed by the PM to hold consultation with the provinces. Gilani said that any operational strategy in this respect has to be undertaken with the provincial governments on board.
He also directed the high powered committee, consisting of Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Petroleum Dr. Asim Hussain, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Nadeemul Haq and acting Governor State Bank of Pakistan Yaseen Anwar, and Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, to submit its recommendations in a special Cabinet meeting to be convened soon aimed at the resolution of unscheduled load shedding in the country.
