Pakistan Heat Wave: A deficit of around 6,000 to 7,000MW has been reported.
Islamabad:
Pakistan will double its hydropower generation over the next seven years to meet its perennial power shortage and address rising electricity prices, a media report said on Saturday, amid a worsening energy crisis in the country for more than 10 hours. There was more load-shedding.
The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has drawn up a plan to increase the existing 9,406 megawatt (MW) to 20,591 MW by the year 2028-29.
The hydroelectricity will be connected in two phases. In the first phase, the share of hydroelectric power will be increased from 9,406 MW to 12,366 MW by 2025 and in the next phase, it will be increased to 20,591 MW, Pakistan’s national news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Currently, hydroelectric power accounts for 31 per cent of the overall energy mix in Pakistan with an annual electric power generation of 37 billion units.
WAPDA, under its electricity generation plan, will add 17 billion units of low-cost hydroelectric power, increasing the number of units from 37 to 54 billion by the year 2025 and another 27 billion hydroelectric units by the year from 54 to 81 billion units . 2028-29.
A major part of the new supply will come from the 4,800 MW Diamer-Bhasha Dam and the 4,300 MW Dasu Hydroelectric Project being built on the Indus River. Another major project, the 800 MW Mohmand Dam, is being constructed on the Swat River.
The report said that these and other hydroelectric projects were built by WAPDA under the ‘Decade of Dam’ project, which will be completed by 2028.
Pakistan is facing an energy crisis as the power shortage reaches 7,468 MW, resulting in load-shedding for 10-18 hours across the country.
At present, the total power generation is 18,031 MW, while the demand is around 25,500 MW. Lack of fuel and technical reasons for the reduction in power generation are being cited as the main reasons for the shutdown of power plants.
Hydroelectric power is generating 3,674 MW of electricity, while government thermal power plants are generating only 786 MW. According to Geo News, 9,526 MW of electricity is being generated by private power producers.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said the current issue of load-shedding in the country is due to the policies of the previous PTI government led by ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“PTI The government neither bought fuel on time nor repaired the power plants. Hence the current load-shedding,” he said in a tweet.
Soon after assuming his office, the prime minister ordered the commissioning of power plants in the country that were shut down due to fuel shortages or other technical glitches.
He also ordered to remove other causes of load shedding including negligence in timely repairs and lack of maintenance of power plants.
Sharif on Tuesday ordered that fertilizers and natural gas from private power plants be diverted to the power sector and ensure timely payment of funds to end load-shedding from May 1.
“I am fully aware of the hardships faced by the people due to load-shedding. PTI The government neither procured any fuel nor did timely repair and maintenance of the plants. After the decision of emergency steps today, power till May 1 The situation will be quite normal, insha’ Allah,” he said in a tweet.