Energy-efficient motor pumps to replace 11,000 tubewells: PO USAID

To save 115.5 GWh of electricity per year, USAID has decided to replace 11,000 highly inefficient irrigation tubewells with more energy efficient motor-pump that will reduce the electricity consumption by 45 W, said John Morgan, Programme Officer of USAID.
He said that the Tube well Efficiency Improvement Programme (TWEIP) is one of six activities under the US Signature Energy Programme that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced in October 2009 to help alleviate Pakistan's severe power supply shortfall.
Morgan added, "The purpose of TWEIP is to reduce peak electricity demand of highly subsidised agricultural customers. TWEIP will replace up to 11,000 highly inefficient irrigation tubewells motor-pump sets with more energy efficient motor pumps to reduce demand by 45W, and save 115.5 GWh of electricity per year. The programme offers a 50% subsidy to farmers to replace their pump sets".
He said that the project was closely associated with the DISCOs (power distribution companies), Farmer Groups, local trade associations, and six major Pakistani Pump Suppliers (Certified under ISO Standard 9960 for cold water pumps). Five major banks are participating in advancing loans. "This programme has an extensive nation-wide media campaign to publicise the TWEIP. The campaign includes: radio and TV advertisements, docudrama, wall paintings, brochures, kiosks, shop sign plates, pump plates, and utility bill advertisements", Morgan said.
About 230,000 of the tubewell pumps in Pakistan are connected to the national power grid and consume 10% of all electricity used in the country. Most of these pumps are highly inefficient. If all of the pumps are replaced, Pakistan can immediately save approximately 1,000 Mega Watts of electricity. This would significantly reduce energy shortages in the country.
Pakistan has major power crises, with a shortfall of almost 5000 MW (increasing) gradually, which has led to blackouts that disrupted commerce, industry, and agriculture. As a result, the annual GDP growth has declined from 8% to 2.4%. While 20.9% of Pakistan's GDP depends on the agriculture sector. It is the world's fourth largest user of ground water for irrigation in terms of area under ground water irrigation. The agriculture sector is the third largest consumer of energy in Pakistan and tubewell pump sets are a major component of peak demand.