-- 5-day working week; businesses to close by 8pm;
-- Only top officials to be allowed to use airconditioners;
-- Use of wedding halls restricted to three hours;
-- 'I appeal to the public to be patient': Prime Minister
Addressing a news conference here on Thursday along with chief ministers of four provinces, Gilani said committees constituted at the energy conference for making recommendations have identified four areas and proposed immediate, short, long and medium term steps to address the energy needs of the country.
As an immediate measure 500 MW electricity would be saved through various steps including closure of commercial centers at 8pm, two weekly holidays, 50 percent reduction of power lights on government building including President, Prime Minister, Governors and Chief Ministers Houses.
The Prime Minister said under the short-term measures, 300 MW would be added to the system immediately while 1300 MW by the end of the year by making operational 10 IPPs. He said another 605 MW would be added to the system through Rental Power Plants (RPPs). The government would pay circular debt of Rs 116 billion to resolve the financial problem of the power sector and would ensure that it does not pile up again.
The provinces have agreed to pay their due on account of circular debt. Through long-term measures 21,000 MW hydel, 30,000 MW coal and 15,000 MW power by other means would be generated to meet the future energy needs of the country. The Prime Minister said progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the summit would be reviewed fortnightly and announced setting up of Public Sector Energy Development Fund with the contribution of Rs 20 billion for power generation.
While elaborating short-term measures, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf said that 70 MW electricity would be saved by reducing 50 percent light of government buildings including President, Prime Minister, Governors and Chief Ministers Houses and other public offices and air-conditions would be allowed to official above 20 Grade after 11 am.
The minister said that 314 MW would be saved through streetlights, 70 MW by cutting off power to billboards, neon signs, commercial decoration lights, and staggered weekly holiday for industrial units would save 150 MW. He said 250 MW power would be saved from tubewells which would not be provided electricity at the peak hours and a lot of electricity would be saved through closure of commercial markets at 8pm and marriage halls would be allowed to have three hours function and their timing would be decided by the provincial governments. The minister said all government offices would have two weekly holidays and this decision would be reviewed by July-end.
Giving details about the generation side, Raja said availability of gas was required for which 183 mmcfd gas is being provided to power sector to add 740 MW in the system including 240 MW from Guddu, 200 MW Pepco and 300 MW by other generation companies. He was hopeful that at the end of the year about 1305 MW electricity would be available from RPPs and IPPs. He said 300 MW power from 650 MW being provided to Karachi Electricity Supply Company would be diverted to other areas.
Replying to questions, Gilani said the energy issue was on top of the agenda of recent strategic dialogue with the United States and they have promised to support in overcoming the problem. Ashraf said to meet the annual growth of 8 percent in power demand a strategy would be devised by taking on board provinces to exploit available hydel and coal resources. He said that by 2015 Pakistan would require 36,000 MW to meet the demand of electricity while 114,000 MW by 2030.
About circular debt, he said that Rs 14 billion of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would be cleared soon and Rs 7 billion and Rs 2 billion on account of tubewells and other departments of Balochistan government would be cleared in 15 days. While Rs 3 billion dues of AJK government would also be cleared soon and the issue of Rs 39 billion dues of Karachi Electric Supply Company would be resolved soon. He said that federal government would pay Rs 116 billion on account of circular debt to the Pepco before June.