Electricity Projects of Pakistan
Electricity Projects of Pakistan: Due to the launch of thermal, hydel, solar, wind and nuclear power projects today 236 feeders out of 8,600 feeders are pursuing zero load shedding, and 63% of them are load-shedding-free. The zero load-shedding is because of the 2,700 MW of surplus electricity out the 16,477MW generated in the country.
Several ongoing projects include Sahiwal Coal Power Plant (1,350MW), Port Qasim Power Plant (1,320MW), two nuclear power plants (650MW), Neelum Jhelum (950MW) and Tarbella 4 Extension (1,500MW) are expected to be completed by mid-2018. Pakistan has achieved a record high with 20,000MW of electricity production. $34 billion is being invested in energy-related projects out of $46 billion foreign investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Under CPEC Project
- Power plants based on conventional fuels and renewable sources are expected to ease the electricity shortages in the country.
Due to investment in the energy sector it would create an enormous 800,000 new jobs in different sectors by the year 2030.
Electricity Statistics
According to the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) and K-Electric Limited (KEL) data
- Pakistan will become a power surplus country in 3 years
- The power generation capacity is expected to reach 34,785MW by the year 2020.
- 3,000MW more than the projected demand and new projects that would generate 6,000MW available by 2020.
Under Pakistan Vision 2025
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates, electricity demand in Pakistan will be more than 49,000MW by 2025. The Pakistan government Vision 2025 has set its goal
- To provide electricity to 90% of population.
- It aims to reduce the average cost of electricity per unit by more than 25%.
- New projects with around 8,800MW would be added into the system.
Having analyzed the goods side of providing “Excess of Electricity”, the question of dealing with the challenges such as of population growth, new housing projects and rise in demand of electricity remains there. Will this crisis ever end?