Senate Body Seeks Lakhra Power Plant Rehabilitation Report

Senate Standing Committee on Power on Thursday asked the Ministry of Power to submit comprehensive and complete feasibility report of Lakhra power plant rehabilitation plan.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Aug, 2018 ) :Senate Standing Committee on Power on Thursday asked the Ministry of Power to submit comprehensive and complete feasibility report of Lakhra power plant rehabilitation plan.

"We want this power plant should be operational as this is the asset of the State and providing employment to hundreds of people," said Senator Moula Bux Chandio.

The meeting was chaired by Senator Fida Muhammad and discussed implementation status of the recommendation of the committee made during its last session, matter of load shedding in the industrial area of Sanghar, structure and performance of NESPAK and performance of PESCO, SEPCO and QESCO also came under discussion.

The official of the power ministry informed the committee that out of three units, 50 MW each installed at the plant, only two units were functional at de-rated capacity of 31 megawatts and all the boilers required major repair and replacement.

The committee asked the ministry to share the total cost of the replacement of equipments at the plant. The committee also suggested the ministry of power to suggest the revised tariff of per unit electricity, so it should negotiate with NEPRA.

The official of the power ministry informed the Senate body that WAPDA is still providing 650 MW electricity to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) as per the order of Sindh High Court.

He said new agreement with the KESC is in final phase. "We have shared fresh draft of the new agreement with KESC and it will be finalized soon," the official said.

Senator Muhammad Akram enquired about the disconnection of electricity supply being provided to the border areas of Balochistan from Iran. The official said Iran had stopped export of electricity to all countries including Pakistan due to severe heatwave."We have no transmission line in the area and laying of line will take time," the official apprised the committee.

The committee directed the ministry to devise a plan for the provision of electricity as they are citizens of Pakistan and needed attention of the government".

About the abolishing of 200 units facility to WAPDA employees, the official said at this stage it was not possible as it had been written in the pay agreement of the employees. However, he said, this facility will not be extended to new comer.

Managing Director of NESPAK informed the committee that its offices remained actively engaged in providing consultancy services to its clients in Pakistan and abroad. He said that outside Pakistan the company provided services on various projects in Afghanistan, Jordan, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.