News
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Overcoming energy crisis top priority: PM
* Raja Pervez Ashraf directs Petroleum Ministry to ensure supply of fuel to power sector to add 1,200MW to national grid
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Saturday resolving energy crisis was on top of his agenda.
The new premier chaired a meeting on energy crisis, which decided that the Petroleum Ministry would ensure 28,000 tonnes of fuel supply daily to power sector in order to add 1,200MW of electricity to the national grid.
The meeting also decided to provide 15mmcfd of gas to GTPS Faisalabad power station to add another 65MW to the national grid.
It was proposed that gas be made available to the power sector by suspending its supply for one more day to industrial and captive power sectors in Punjab, sparing 66mmcfd of gas for use in the most efficient power plants to produce electricity.
Similarly, 150mmcfd of gas was proposed to be generated from Sindh by cutting its supply for one more day to industrial and the CNG sectors. The acquired gas will be used by KESC for power generation.
The meeting also decided to constitute two committees to hold negotiations with representative of Punjab industries and CNG stations to convince them for one more day of gas cut in view of the acute requirement of gas in the power sector.
One committee will consist of Water and Power Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain and Kashmir Affairs Minister Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo.
The other committee, consisting of Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh, Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah and Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain, will hold talks with stakeholders of Sindh.
Separately, the prime minister visited the residence of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to thank him and his party for their support in the election of prime minister.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said that running the office of prime minister was not an easy task, adding, “We would have to work together for strengthening democratic institutions.” agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk