Power Division Told to Ensure No Loadshedding During Eid

A parliamentary panel on Monday directed the power division to avoid loadshedding and ensure uninterrupted power supply during Eid days as shortfall reached 4560 Megawatts (MWs).

Senate Standing Committee on Power, in its meeting, was told that Pakistan at present has a shortfall of 4560 Megawatts (MWs) during the first ten days of June against a demand of 23,301 MWs and generation of 18,742 MWs.

The shortfall, which was 3530 MWs during the last month, has increased due to rising temperatures throughout the country.

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The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Senator Fida Muhammad at the Parliament House and was attended by Senators Nauman Wazir Khattak, Sadia Abbasi, Muhammad Ali Saif, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Aurangzeb Khan, Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Minister for Power Barrister Ali Zafar, Secretary Power Yousaf Khokhar, Joint Secretary Power Division and CEOs of DISCOs.

Members deliberated in detail upon the issues in loss-making DISCOs of the country and how to have a sustainable plan for financing these entities. A sub-committee headed by Senator Nauman Wazir was constituted to look into the matter further. The sub-committee will have Senator Maula Bakhsh Chandio and Aurangzeb Khan as its members.

While briefing the committee about transmission and distribution losses of these companies, it was told that average losses for 2017-18 were 17%, with PESCO having the highest percentage at 36.6% losses, SEPCO at number two with 35.7% losses and HESCO at 29.1%. IESCO was termed to be the DISCO with the lowest percentage of losses at 7.1%.

The recovery percentage of DISCOs was also shared with the Committee – with FESCO at 100% recovery, LESCO, GEPCO and MEPCO at 98% and IESCO and PESCO at 90%. QEPCO had the lowest recovery percentage at 24%.

The Committee was apprised about the progress on the construction of 220KV Chakdara Grid Station and Mardan-Chakdara Transmission line that will be completed by 15 July. It was also informed about the up-gradation of 132KV Grid Station Batkhela and feeder lines that will be completed by 31 August.