Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Power load shedding would come to an end in March 2018, State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali told the National Assembly on Thursday.

He was talking during the question hour. The minister said people think that pilfering of electricity was their legal right. In Sindh operation against power theft was conducted with the help of Rangers, he said. He said that it is decided that electricity would not be provided to those areas where either people steal it or do not pay their bills regularly. He said the matter regarding non-payment of dues by Sindh was sent to the relevant committee and report was sought within one month. He told the House that due to delay in the Neelum-Jhelum Power Project, the work on coal and LNG power projects is going on with good pace. He said that with the efforts of the government, some 10,000 megawatts of electricity would be added to national grid by March 2018. He said that almost 79 percent on the redesigning of Mangla Dam is completed and the study of its feasibility is underway. He said that PC-1 of the project would be completed soon. The land has been acquired for it and AFD would provide $100 million and physical work would be kicked off next year. He said present load shedding of four hour is being carried out in the rural areas whereas areas at the banks of canals are suffering from three hour power outages. He said load shedding is more in those areas where line losses are comparatively high.