Raise tariff to end loadshedding: US

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Sami Abraham
WASHINGTON: David Goldwyn, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s coordinator for international energy affairs, has said if Pakistan continues to raise the power tariff in accordance with its understanding with the IMF, it will not have to face loadshedding during the next summer.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, he said Pakistan had a plan to overcome the electricity crisis and it would be able to generate additional 2,500 MW power by December and another 2,600 MW by June next year, provided the power rates were increased by 12 per cent in January and by another six per cent by April next year, as agreed with the IMF. He said the Asian Development Bank was negotiating with Pakistan to bring in investment of $3 billion, out of which $1.6 billion will be spent for dam extensions and to improve and put new transmission lines. He said Pakistan had the commitment to raise tariff to end subsidy in the power sector.

To a question about the provision of nuclear energy to Pakistan, Goldwyn said he was engaged in talks with the Pakistani officials during the time when Clinton was there and issues relating to the energy policy were discussed, but the officials did not raise the issue of acquiring nuclear energy.

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Pakistan can overcome blackouts by next summer: US energy coordinator

WASHINGTON: Pakistan can overcome its power crisis by next summer if energy prices are fixed at cost recovery rates, US International Energy Affairs Coordinator David Goldwyn said on Thursday.

He also noted the country had all other factors in place to address its energy needs, such as natural resources, expertise and a sound roadmap.

The State Department energy coordinator, who led the US delegation at a three-day intensive dialogue with Pakistani officials last month, also revealed the Asian Development Bank would provide $3 billion to bolster Pakistan's energy situation through improvement in such areas as dam extensions, expansion of energy generation, laying of new transmission lines and bringing more efficiency to the system.

He hoped that Islamabad would be able to implement a plan to generate an additional 2,500 megawatts of electricity from various projects that would help it avoid load shedding by next summer.

"Everything flows from pricing and that is the biggest challenge facing Pakistan," he said.

The US coordinator said Pakistani officials agreed on the importance of having power rates that recover power generation costs. Goldwyn said the country’s leadership was committed to improving the energy sector.

"We are convinced Pakistan has very solid plans to address their energy requirements. We have seen strong commitments from them and if they make hard choices, they will restore stability to the energy system," Goldwyn said, adding that utilising natural gas could help Pakistan fulfil its energy requirements. app

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_23