Power crisis to be overcome next year: PEPCO

[LahoreEstate]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be rid of the power shortage problem by next year, said Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) Managing Director Tahir Basharat Cheema on Sunday.

He told a private news channel the 1,000-megawatt (MW) Neelam-Jhelum project was being constructed, which would, after five years, cost only Rs 0.37 per unit of electricity, while work on the Bhasha dam would start in February-March 2010, for which the bidding process would soon start.

Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) is making all possible efforts for research and development to introduce modern technology in improving its power distribution systems.

As many as 10,293 MW of electricity from all sources would be added to the system by the end of December 2012, he said. Cheema said 3,692 MW would be added by the end of 2009, 1,806 MW in 2010, 3,604 MW in 2011, and 1,191 MW of electricity would be added to system by the end of December 2012.

Cheema said Pakistan had 435 MW of surplus electricity in 2001 that turned into a shortage of 86 MW in 2002. The country had a surplus of 236 MW of electricity and 197 MW in 2003 and 2004 respectively, he added.

He said the increase in power generation includes 1,381 MW from rental plants, 1,949 MW from independent power producers, 478 MW from hydropower and 50 MW from wind power to be added to the PEPCO system.

The government is facilitating the private sector in setting up additional power plants on a fast-track basis to cater to the power deficit. In this regard, the 136 MW Bhikki power plant would be commissioned soon, he added. app

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_19