Power generation to improve by 13000 MW in two years : Mian Zahid Hussain

Lahore : President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum  Mian Zahid Hussain said power generation will be improved by 13200 megawatt within two years.

The total power generation capacity will be hiked by 53400 megawatt which will result in surplus electricity settling energy crisis forever, he said.

Mian Zahid Hussain while lauding the initiatives of the government to overcome energy outages, he said that economic and energy managers must ensure timely completion of the ongoing projects by removing all the hurdles.

He said that government is in process of converting Guddu and Nandipur power plants on gas, two coal-fired power plants are being built at Sahiwal and Port Qasim, three LNG-based power plants are being constructed on fast pace in Punjab, two nuclear power plants are in stage of completion while work on Neelum-Jhelum power project and Tarbela fourth extension project in being completed.

However, he stressed that apart from new projects, government should also focus on existing projects, improve transmission and distribution system, overcome losses and theft, which is equal to 360 billion rupees per year otherwise all the initiatives will remain counterproductive.

Mian Zahid Hussain said that currently country has a power generation capacity of 24 thousand megawatt and increasing production will mean increased losses if system was not reformed.

Discos have failed to recover outstanding bills which have reached to 684 billion rupees, he said, adding that the resignation of Chairman WAPDA, Chief Executive of Neelum-Jhelum project and protest of CEO of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company may not go down well with some stakeholders of the energy market, he warned.