7,000 MW to be added to national grid before next summer: Minister

July 05, 2022: Minister for Power Engineer Khurram Dastgir on Monday said around 7,000 MW of electricity would be added to the national grid before next summer season, which would help overpower load-shedding in the country.

About 4,623 MW of electricity would be added to the system through those projects, which were launched by the last Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government in 2018, and the rest through net metering and solar projects, he said addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting.

Flanked by Minister of Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik, Advisor to the PM on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Khurram said the government was framing a comprehensive solar energy policy under which not only large scale plants would be set up but also all the government departments would be converted to the solar energy.

Loans on easy instalments would be provided to small consumers for installing 5KV solar plants, he added.

The minister said a detailed briefing would be given to the prime minister about the policy, which would be announced in the next few weeks.

Sharing a good news, he said the 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project had started its full operation. Its foundation was jointly laid by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015.

The Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project, he added, had already been supplying 969 MW of electricity to the national grid since April 2018.

He said the inauguration of the 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project was scheduled on June 29, but it was deferred by the prime minister as per the directives of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Khurram said the cabinet was informed that water inflow in Tarbela Dam had significantly improved, which would improve power generation, while the K-2 nuclear plant would also start supplying 1,100 MW to the system before Eid-ul-Azha after completion of its refuelling.

He said the coalition government was working day and night to provide maximum relief to the masses. The entire leadership was united for strengthening the national economy and democracy, he added.

To a question, the minister said the tariff would not be increased for consumers using up to 200 units per month.

APP