ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Power Division on Tuesday informed the PublicAccounts Committee (PAC) that the amount of circular debt had reached to Rs755 billion. The Committee met at Parliament House with Leader of theOpposition Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in the chair.
Secretary Ministry of Power Division while giving briefing to the committeesaid that presently the country’s installed capacity of the electricity was33,836 mw, while the derated capacity was about 31,000 mw.
He said that in 2008 the installed capacity of the electricity was 17,796which had reached to 33,836 mw at present.
The secretary said that presently the country was generating about 27percent from hydel, 26 percent from RLNG, 16 percent from oil, 20 percentfrom gas , five percent from nuclear and five percent from renewablesources.
The committee was informed that seven energy projects under China PakistanEconomic Corridor had been providing 3,340 megawatts energy to the nationalgrid.
He said that Sahiwal Coal fired plant, Dawood Wind Farm, Quaid-e-AzamSolar, UEP wind Farm, Sachal Wind Farm, Port Qasim Power plant and threegorges second and third wind farms had been completed under the CPEC.
The secretary said that Suki Kinari HPP, Korot HPP, Engro Thar Block-IIcoal fired power plant, TEL Mine Mouth Thar Block-II coal fired power plantand CPHGC coal fired power plant having capacity to generate about 3900 mw,were under construction.
He further said that about eight more power projects including SSRL coal,Thal Nova power, Kohala HPP, Cacho wind, Western Energy wind, Coal firedplant at Gwadar and Oracle power having the 5094 generation capacity werein various stages of completion
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He said that new renewable energy policy would be in operation by March2019 after due consultation with the provinces and approval by the Councilof Common Interests . He said the new policy would be focused on generatingat least 20 percent of the total energy mix from renewable energy by 2025and 30 percent by 2030.
He said upgradation of the national grid as well as introduction ofregional grids would be important element of the policy.
The chairman PAC apprised the members that he had completed two LNG runpower projects during his tenure in the Punjab province as the chiefminister. The electricity generated through two power plants was beingprovided to national grid stations, he added.
Responding to various questions by the parliamentarians, the secretary saidthat presently the total demand of the electricity was 8,000 to 11,000megawatts. He said that per capita electricity usage in Pakistan was lessas compared to India and Bangladesh.
The secretary said that 23 percent of total population was withoutelectricity. – APP
