Day is not far when load shedding will be reduced: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government was making efforts to revive power plants to end the worsening energy crisis in the country.

Addressing the launching ceremony of Innovation Hub to involve different stakeholders in policymaking, the prime minister said the previous government unnecessarily delayed the reopening of power plants and aggravated the crisis.

“They were least concerned about whether the power plants are working. There are the problems were are facing,” he complained. “We are making to launch the plants which witnessed a serious delay whether they are biogas or coal-powered plants.”

He assured to overcome the crisis and make all-out efforts to end load-shedding across the country. “The day is not far when power load shedding will reduce significantly,” he added.

He said the previous government did not make efforts to buy sufficient at lower prices which lead to the current. He vowed the government will make efforts to serve the country and provide relief to the masses.

He pointed out that the lack of maintenance of power plants during the tenure of the previous government resulted in power shortage.

He said previous government even delayed the Haveli Bahadur Shah Plant which has the capacity to produce1250 Megawatt electricity.

Earlier Federal Minister for Energy Engineer Khurram Dastgir has said the government is working to enhance the power generation and add around 5000 megawatt electricity in the national grid by next year.

He said load shedding will be reduced significantly by November as the government is striving to initiate new power plants to provide uninterrupted power supply to the masses.

The minister said the government will establish 5-10,000 megawatt solar power plant to end the energy crisis in the country by next summer season.

He said there is 6,000 megawatt gap in supply and demand as generation is 24,000 megawatt against peak demand of 30000 megawatt.

The minister said the refilling of 1,100 megawatt nuclear power plant is in progress and will be completed soon which will add 1,100 megawatt electricity to the national grid.

He further said the government will import coal from Afghanistan in the coming days to ensure low-cost power generation and save precious foreign exchange reserves.

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