Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Saturday hinted at increasing electricity tariff from new fiscal year but the poor segment of the society, he said, would be protected. Addressing a press conference here.
The minister said that at present the government is subsidising 82-paisa per unit of electricity and it is going to be difficult for the government to maintain this subsidy keeping in view the unprecedented surge in oil prices in the international market.
He said oil prices would have to be increased but the poor segment of the society would be fully protected against the new hike. About commitment with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank for not capping electricity tariff, the minister said that the government is under tremendous pressure for passing on the price hikes in oil to consumers and eliminate the subsidy on electricity and oil.
Highlighting the energy conservation plan, the minister said that the basic measures that have been taken to save the energy include the one-hour moving forward of the clock to use the daylight at working, installation of energy savers, turning off of air-conditions in the government offices for three hours in the morning hours and suspension of the electricity to the hoardings as well as turning off of the street lights from June 1 to August 31.
Besides, markers and business centers would remain closed after 9pm and traders, shopkeepers would not be allowed to use generators after 9′O clock, the minister maintained.
When asked about using energy saver bulbs in place of normal bulbs, the minister said that the energy savers available in the market are reportedly substandard and now the government has planned to import energy savers with the help of the World Bank in collaboration with the UNDP. “The government is following two-pronged strategy to overcome the power crisis – preserving and generating power”, he added.
The minister said the government would save at least 1100MW electricity through these measures and the saved power would be used for agriculture and industrial sector consumption. Raja was upbeat about generating 6000MW electricity till August 2009 in which 2200MW would be generated during 2008 as announced by the Prime Minister.
The preservation measures, he said, are being taken to minimise the power gap between demand and supply and it will continue till August. From 8pm to 11am, air-conditions even at the Prime Minister office would remain off, he added.
The minister said the government would overcome power crisis till August 2009 by generating at least 6000MW. The minister informed the media that at least 27MW electricity has been recently added to the national grid through a power plant in Malakand. To a question, the said that there was no plan to merge Wapda and Pepco.