ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The National Assembly was informed on Thursday that 7,750 megawatt additional electricity had been added in the national transmission system since the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) took over the federal government in 2013.
During the question-hour, the Minister of State for Power Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali told the House that the power generation capacity was continuously increasing and load-shedding duration decreasing due to sincere and hectic efforts of the government.
The minister said resultantly in urban and rural areas two-hour and four-hour load-shedding was being observed which was quite less as compared to previous years.
While giving year-wise load-shedding duration breakup, the minister said in August 2013 load-shedding duration for urban areas for six hours while eight hours a day in rural areas and for mix-industry and independent industrial sector.
Abid Sher Ali said in August 2014, urban areas were witnessing five-hour load management, rural areas eight hours, mix-industry seven hours and independent industry 10 hours. Whereas in August 2015, there was six hours load-shedding in urban areas, eight hours for rural areas, four hours for mix-industry and independent industry, the minister said.
Likewise, the minister said in August 2016, six and eight hours load-shedding was being observed in urban and rural areas respectively while there was zero load-shedding for mix-industry and independent industry.
The minister said in August 2017, urban areas faced load-shedding only for two hours, rural areas four hours, mix-industry two-hour and independent industry zero load-shedding, the minister said.
Abid said due to increased generation capacity, no load-shedding had been carried out in the Country from September 1 to September 10 on account of generation shortfall; however, some DISCO carried load-shedding due to their own system constrains, low recovery and high line-losses.
Replying to a supplementary question, the minister said new grid stations were being set up in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address complaints regarding low-voltage, adding that upgradation of transmission network in KPK was underway.
While answering a question, the minister said first turbine of Neelum-Jhelum hydro power plant (NJHEP) would start functioning in March 2018 while the remaining project would be completed in July the same year.
Meanwhile, the House was apprised that the government was expecting average production of 18,678 MW electricity per day in last week of December 2017 against the demand of 12,625 MW while production of 20,988 MW was expected during the peak time against the demand of 16,650 MW.
