Measures to meet energy shortage reviewed

Federal Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Friday to review measures for meeting energy shortage in the country.

Khawaja M Asif, Federal Minister for Water and Power, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, were also present. The meeting reviewed salient features for the short- and long-term plans of the ministry of water and power for meeting energy shortage country wide in line with instructions of the prime minister.

The meeting held deliberations on the proposed two pronged short-term policy which envisages as an immediate measure, generation of 1,000 MW electricity based on well-head gas in areas under HESCO and SEPCO.

Secondly, there is a plan for another 1,000 MW power generation package, also under HESCO and SEPCO based on local gas supply. Bids for these projects have already been invited till 15th of January.

The meeting was informed that as long-term policy LNG-based power plants of 3600 MW capacity would be set up till 2017 at Haveli Bahadur Jang, Balloki and Bhakki near Shahdara, Lahore. Altogether, the short and long term measures would add up 5600 MW of electricity to the national grid.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at this juncture said that along with power generation, proper transmission facilities should also be ensured. It was the foremost requirement for success of both short- and long-term measures, he added.

The minister directed re-convening of the sub-committee on Monday to finalise its deliberations and formulation of recommendations for submission to the prime minister at the next meeting of cabinet committee on energy.

It may be added that apart from these two short and long term projects, there are also a number of coal, wind and solar based energy projects which are to be undertaken as part of the China-Pakistan Energy Corridor. Senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, the ministries of W&P, P&NR and Finance attended the meeting.