CPEC power projects will eliminate power shortage: PM

Gwadar Pro

Lahore: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) power projects will eliminate power shortage issue in the country.

PM chaired a meeting here to overcome the issues of power load-shedding and energy crises.

PM mentioned that the recent opening of the Karot Hydropower project under CPEC will help reduce load-shedding.

PM maintained that all CPEC projects will take time in completion and until then available resources must be used to counter energy crisis.

The electricity shortfall in Pakistan has reached 7,787 megawatts as production is stagnated at 21,213 Megawatts (MW) and demand reached 29,000 MW.

According to the power division of the country, the electricity shortfall has reached near 8,000 MW. The demand for electricity in the country has exceeded 29,000 MW while the production lags at 21,000 MW.

The power division says that currently, a total of 5,430 MW of power is being produced by hydropower while 705 MW are being produced via Thar mill plants. Production via the private sector is 10,241 MW while Wind and solar plants throughout the country are producing 1,742 MW of electricity.

Biogas plants are producing a total of 120 MW, while 2,275 MW are being produced using nuclear power, the power division suggests.

On Sunday, Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan announced that load-shedding will not be ended on the occasion of Eidul Azha, however, the duration of power outages will be reduced.

During a news conference in Gujranwala, Khurram Dastgir Khan said that 720 megawatts power plant had been made operational from June 29. “The issue of power outages will be addressed next summer upon the operation of the new mega project,” he added.

He underlined that CPEC power projects will play a key role to end load-shedding in Pakistan.