1150MW to be added to national grid by summer: PEPCO

LAHORE: Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) will manage to add 1150MW electricity with commissioning of five new power plants by summer. Briefing the media at Wapda House here on Tuesday, PEPCO Director General (Energy Management and Conservation) Engineer Muhammad Khalid said that three power plants of 225MW each including Liberty Tech, Hubb at Narowal and Helmor at Bhikkhi, and Foundation of 175MW and Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-II of 300MW would be generating electricity by summer this year. To a question, he said electric supply was being suspended three to five hours to urban centres, while rural areas had to face an eight-hour load-shedding during 24 hours. The PEPCO, he explained, is facing a 575MW shortfall due to suspension of gas supply for three months (December to February), as per their agreements, to three Independent Power Producers (IPPs) of 225MW each including Safire, Orient and Saif. However, only Orient Power is contributing mere 100MW to the main power system a day, he added.

Muhammad Khalid said that hydel power generation was improving as outflow and water indents at Tarbela and Mangla Dams had increased with the re-opening of canals after de-silting. However, the two canals, which were to be opened on January 31 last, would now be re-opened on Feb 5, he said, adding power stations at the Tarbela Dam contributed 1992 and of the Mangla Dam 726MW during the last 24 hour, while generation at Ghazi Barotha had also increased.

During the last six months (July to December 2010), he said, the PEPCO provided 328,063 connections including 291,203 domestic, 26,180 commercial, 4,058 industrial, 6,484 tube-well and 138 miscellaneous. He said total power generation during the last 24 hours was 12,582MW against demand of 11,102MW, showing a shortfall of 1,480MW, while the PEPCO supplied 690MW to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC). The hydel component contributed 3,877MW, thermal 1,906MW, IPPs 5,257MW and RPPs 62MW, he maintained.