News Analysis |
Federal Minister for the Power Division, Sardar Awais Leghari, in a press conference, stated that PML-N has fulfilled the promise it made to the public four and a half years ago regarding the production of surplus energy. He stated that electricity generation has gone up to 16,477 megawatt, which is 2,700 megawatts more than the demand.
He stated that when PML-N came to power in 2013, Pakistan was producing 9,279 megawatts of electricity against the demand of 11,800 megawatts. He made the announcement that there would be no load shedding at 5,297 feeders out of a total of 8,600 feeders in the country starting Monday, the 4th of December.
Allahamduliah #Pakistan has started producing surplus #electricity. More than 65 % population of Pakistan will be shifted on #zero load shedding midnight. We have ended urban rural disparity on load sheeding. Another promise fullfilled.#PMLN#RoshanPakistan pic.twitter.com/ZSS7syFmYu
— Awais Leghari (@akleghari) December 3, 2017
Leghari later added that 15 million meter owners would benefit from zero load-shedding. He also emphasized that there would be no discrimination between rural and urban areas anymore as in the past rural areas were made to suffer immensely with load-shedding going on for multiple hours.
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He added, in order to check power theft, feeders with power theft below 10% would benefit from zero load-shedding whereas feeders, where more theft was present, will have load-shedding in accordance with law.
Pakistan’s electricity generation would be up to 25,000 megawatts, which would allow the country to meet the requirements for electricity usage in the summer with ease.
The Federal Minister specified that feeders with 10-20% power theft would experience 2 hours of load-shedding and feeders with over 80% power theft would experience 16-20 hours of load-shedding to discourage the act of power theft.
He credited Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for their determined efforts to achieve the objective. Leghari also added that after the completion of ongoing power plants, Pakistan’s electricity generation would be up to 25,000 megawatts, which would allow the country to meet the requirements for electricity usage in the summer with ease.
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This announcement comes just weeks after the Federal Minister moved a bill for the arrest of over-billing for power. The bill was passed by the National Assembly and it includes hefty fines for any company charged with overbilling and even the possibility of going to jail when proven guilty.