Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday directed the authorities concerned to ensure minimum load shedding of electricity during the month of Ramazan. Chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE), the prime minister expressed displeasure over the ongoing load shedding schedule and emphasized a proactive and solution-oriented approach by all line departments with the aim to provide maximum relief to the people in summer season. The prime minister said the government was fully cognizant of the problems faced by masses due to power shortage and would not rest till a significant relief was provided.

Keeping in view the urgency of the situation, the prime minister has called another meeting of the CCE on Tuesday (today).

It was informed at the meeting that by March 2018, a total of additional 9,107 MW power will be available in the transmission system provided timelines were met. Water and Power secretary briefed the meeting on implementation status of previous decisions taken by CCE, current load management plan, circular debt, transmission and distribution of electricity from upcoming power projects and status of utilization of idle power plants. The CCE was informed that Bhikki and Haveli Bhadur Shah plants were facing normal mechanical problems in some of their turbines which were being resolved with the manufacturer. The prime minister directed to complete repairs at the earliest. It was informed that a special committee in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources was working on chalking out a balanced conversion plan from conventional fuels to LNG. It was further informed that monitoring of power generation and distribution systems was being undertaken regularly with physical and field monitoring of 270 projects. Regular meetings are being held with CEOs of DISCOS to resolve operational issues.