| Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in Islamabad Tonight No loadshedding after December |  |  |  |
| ISLAMABAD, Jan 6 (APP): Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday said that the government had expedited pipeline projects of IPPs and rental power houses to end loadshedding by December this year. Talking to private TV Channel, he said that the present shortage in demand and supply was 3000 MW, which would be overcome once hydro generation start after opening of canals by January 31 The Minister said taking notice of power crisiss in the country, the President and the Prime Minister have issued various instructions which are being followed to further improve power situation in the country. He said the country was facing acute power shortage due to gap between demand and supply as power consumption was on rise. However he assured that by December 2009, the WAPDA would add additional 3500 MW in the system. He said the circular debt has shot up to Rs. 400 billions primarily because of non-payment of outstanding dues by public sector consumers of different sorts. He said past government did nothing for power generation due to which the country was facing acute power shortage. However he added the government is fully committed to improving the situation. The Minister said a huge amount of 30 billion dollars is required for investment in power sector for generating required electricity by 2015. He said the government has planned to import 250 MW power house from Turkey to provide electricity to Karachi. Replying to a question, he said long terms projects would take seven to eight year for completion and medium project like IPPs would take three years, adding they were installing rentals to overcome shortage. He said the ministry had chalked out a roadmap to pay circular debt of Rs 170 to streamline the system of IPPs. The minister said energy was the top priority of the government as it was backbone on the economy, adding textile industry had been exempted form loadshedding keeping in view its contribution to national exchequer and employment opportunities it creates. |
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N A D E E M M A L I K
Director Programme
AAJ TV
ISLAMABAD
00-92-321-5117511
nadeem.malik@hotmail.com
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