Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister of Water, Power and Defence, on Monday urged Karachi Electric (KE) to introduce conservation policy and spread the initiative among its consumers as all power initiatives will remain temporary sans 'resources' storing-up measures. He was speaking at an inaugural ceremony of KE's $400 million Transmission Enhancement Plan (TP-1000), which is partnered by Siemens Germany and Shanghai Electric at KE's combined cycle power plant, Korangi Creek road here on Monday.
He lamented: "Many is being invested into infrastructure but it needs to be improved further as myriad fatalities in last summer was a deficiency." "The federal government is in negotiations with KE and new agreement will provide benefit to the people of Karachi," he maintained.
Moreover, he said that people of Pakistan could get 'free electricity' by adopting energy conservation plan and added that KE as a corporate entity had responsibility to initiate a policy to follow a rigorous conservation program. "We neither have unlimited resources nor implementing conservation plan, which causes spilling over resources at perilous level".
"There is no country like Pakistan where markets remain open till 2am and we as government are reluctant to talk with business community, following their strong resentment". Moreover, he said, "We have to make paradigm change in our behaviour and also evolve conservation plan for power, build water reservoirs at all provinces and get sunlight advantage."
Khawja Asif further urged the authorities concerned to ensure that markets must be closed by 8 O'clock. He also appreciated the successful launch of TP-1000, saying that K-Electric had emerged as a pioneering and progressive utility. TP-1000 represents a landmark achievement and we hope it establishes a precedent for other power companies to follow, he added.
Earlier Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tayyab Tarin said that KE had invested $1.2 billion and added 1037MW in the grid since 2009 and TP-1000 project was a part of the overall future investment plan of $2.2 billion. "KE after adding 12 grid stations has now 64 grid stations, he said, adding that overall growth after TP-1000 was projected to 33 per cent.
He said that KE had been working on new projects, CSR activities, and on capacity enhancement and informed that line losses, which were 40 per cent in 2009, had been reduced to 23 per cent in 2013. He said that this $400 million investment project is a Consortium of Siemens Germany, Siemens Pakistan and Shanghai Electric Group of Companies and this marks the confidence of foreign investors and companies in K-Electric and in Pakistan. We are proud to be part of this project as this would reap benefits in years to come. This is part of K-Electric's vision to have affordable and uninterrupted power supply for its valued customers.
Senior Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah added that K-Electric as one of the world's few remaining vertically integrated utilities is strategically associated with the people, businesses and the industries in Karachi. TP-1000 is a reflection of K-Electric's vision and he firmly believes that it will go a long way in achieving the company's long-term aim.
K-Electric through TP-1000 will add 8 new grid stations comprising 220KV and 132KV network, bay extensions, 6 new Auto Transformers, efficiency expansion plan for 21 existing Grid Stations which will also include addition of 30 power transformers and more than 400 new 11KV Feeders to cater the grid growth. Ten new 220KV and 132KV double and single circuit transmission lines of approximately 130Km would also be laid out whereas 3 existing 220KV and 132KV transmission circuits would be rehabilitated to increase the current carrying capacity and reliability. An additional Disaster Recovery Centre would help cope with emergency situations whereas new Transmission Lines, circuits and grids would help decrease the fault ratio and increase reliability and supply of electricity.