Pakistan needs about 14000-15000MW electricity per day, and the demand is likely to rise to approximately 20,000 MW per

day by 2010. Presently, it can produce about 11, 500 MW per day and thus there is a shortfall of about 3000-4000MW per day. This shortage is badly affecting industry, commerce and daily life of people. The country may face energy crisis by the year 2007 following healthy growth of 13 per cent in electricity demand during the last quarter, The survey said household sector has been the largest consumer of electricity accounting for 44.2 per cent of total electricity consumption followed by industries 31.1 per cent, agriculture 14.3 per cent, other government sector 7.4 per cent, commercial 5.5 per cent and street light 0.7 per cent. According to official energy demand forecast, he added, the demand for natural gas, having about 50 per cent share in the countrys energy consumption, would increase by 44 per cent to 39 MTOE from 27 MTOE currently. Partly contributed by gas shortfalls, the power shortage is expected to be little over 5,250MW by 2010, he said, adding that the oil demand has also increased by over 23 per cent to about 21 million tons in 2010. This would leave a total deficit of about nine million tons of diesel and furnace oil imports, he said. Since the gas shortfalls were expected to be much higher, the country would need to enhance its dependence on imported oil, thus increasing pressure on foreign exchange situation, he added. the government had planned five major initiatives to meet these energy requirements. They included three gas import pipelines, Gwadar port as energy hub and LNG import. However, four of these measures, including the three import pipeline projects, show no signs of progress for various reasons while concentration on energy facilities in Gwadar would chiefly depend on security situation, besides oil and gas import pipelines. Sources said that around 28 LoIs (Letters of Interest), for projects of about 50 mw each, had been issued by the Alternate Energy Development Board to prospective investors for setting up windmill farms in the coastal areas. Planning Commission sources said the government had planned to add an overall power generation capacity of about 7,880MW by 2010. Of this, about 4,860MW is to be based on natural gas, accounting for 61 per cent of capacity expansion. Pakistans gas reserves are 32.8 TCF at present, with reserve-production ratio in the order of 27 years, considering that domestic production does not grow substantially. Power sector demand represents 41 per cent of total gas consumption, general industries 24 per cent, fertiliser 7.8 per cent and domestic-commercial 22.8 per cent, cement 1.5 per cent and CNG 2.8 per cent.

Pakistan is facing a shortfall of 4,500MW to 5,000MW while the demand growth is currently 8%, and production capacity is 1000MW. Here are some of the recommendations that the Minister presented and will be implemented in the next 4 days. ENERGY SAVING PLAN:

Government offices will strictly follow power usage guidelines. In this regard Officers less than 18 grade will not utilise Air conditioners. Regarding outdoor advertising , use of Neon signs, billoards would not be allowed. All commercial activities including shopping malls, markets etc will be closed by 8pm , some important shops like pharmacy etc would be allowed to operate after 8pm. Industries will observe holidays on alternate days (following Indian Model) All government offices will reduce power usage by 50%. Load shedding to be reduced by 33% in the immediate future. Two holidays will be observed by public offices (this will be reviewd on 30th July). Marriage halls in various cities will be allowed maximum power usage for 3 hours only. Power supply to Karachi (KESC) will be reduced by 300MW. Regarding the issue of Kalabagh dam, Government will only give green signal,when there is a consensus achieved between all the provinces. Public engergy fund to be created with an amount of Rs.20Billion Circular debt is paif off (PM Gillani Announced).

Minister also clarified the misconception about cheap electricity from Iran, which would take at least 4-5 years for 1000 MW project and is not a short term solution. Minister did mention that Pakistan was facing such situation in 1994 and its a matter of patience and that Pakistan will successfully pass through this tough phase. Besides, there were some comedic moments in the briefing, when Raja Pervez Ashraf said Chief Justice, while he wanted to say Chief Executive. Also he didnt gave any final date as to when load shedding will end, which brought smiles to faces of all the other ministers and journalists (he wasnt successful with his previous dates, when he declared Load shedding will end in 2009). :D

In the end i am just watching the Q&A, which is very interesting but is more or less discussing the same things. Im satisfied at least the Government has decided to take some steps. Lets hope people do get some respite from this endless load shedding chaos.

Sources said that an initiative had been taken by the government to install 180 solar lights in Balakot and another 120 numbers in the AJK, in the first phase. A friendly country gifts over 100 solar cottages, having two-bed waterproof and earthquake resistant accommodation, which are being duplicated by the local authorities at a cost of Rs 150,000 each. The fast-track schemes included 2,000 solar homes, 10,000 solar cooker and 6,000 geyser, though only 400 solar homes have been completed so far and a small number of solar cookers installed.

Wind power projects of total 100 mw capacity are being established, on BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) basis, at Keti Bandar and Gharo in Sindh. Two power generation plants with a combined capacity of 245 megawatts, which could reduce loadshedding in Lahore at least by five to six hours, have been shut down over dispute between their management and the Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco). As the cash-starved Pepco has not been able to meet its financial obligations, both the plants Japan Power (120MW) and Southern Power (125MW) have gone off line during the last one month, worsening the power crisis. Both these plants, situated only a few kilometres from Lahore on Raiwind Road, have been instrumental in containing loadshedding and load stabilisation for the city. With both the facilities going off line, the power supply to many places, especially Lahore, has been hit hard. The latest victim was 120MW Japan Power which was closed down on Dec 24 on grounds of financial problems. Its chief executive Khan Ahmed Saleem said the problem with the plant was not restricted to fuel advance. Pepco owes more than Rs3 billion to the plant under different heads. The money is stuck with the company for the last many years despite numerous reminders. IN 2009 75MW wind based energy project was commissioned in Sindh, Lahore is now entering the alternate energy race. The Rachna Industrial Estate, just outside Lahore, is getting its very own state-of-the-art power plant. This new facility will allow refuse and garbage to be turned into useful much needed electricity. While the total output, at 25MW, is not all that high, it is still about 1% of the deficit we currently face. Not only that, getting energy from waste means a lower oil import bill, and frankly, a good place to send the waste to.

Water pressure But some say Pakistan is wasting its potential. Shaista Tabassum, who teaches South Asian water resources and politics at the University of Karachi, says that despite having the worlds best water resources, the production of hydropower has been sidelined by the government. He says that if the government had properly exploited hydropower, the country could now be enjoying a 5,000 megawatt power supply from the Kunhar-Neelum-Jhelum river system in Azad, Kashmir, adding that more hydropower projects would also reduce the cost of electricity.

In 2001, the Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan identified 22 sites for launching hydropower projects to meet the ever-increasing demand for cheap power. It indicated that about 15,074 megawatts could be generated on the completion of these projects, which would also meet the water irrigation requirements for the growing agriculture sector. It is high time for us to make a move in that direction, says Tabassum.
Pakistan imports about 80 percent of its oil i.e. 319,500 bbl/day During March, total oil imports came to $1.041 billion against $495 million in March last year, Federal Board of Statistics reported on Wednesday. Pakistan spent $8.01 billion on imports of crude oil and petroleum products from last July to April, The phenomenal growth in oil imports during the month of March was caused by high imports of petroleum products particularly furnace oil to generate power, which is currently the major source of electricity in the country. Crude imports stood at $4 billion or more than 40 per cent of the overall petroleum imports of $9.5 billion in FY09 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8637454.stm http://ibrahimsajidmalick.com/pakistan-stops-financing-crude-oil-imports/584/\ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2175.html http://www.pakspectator.com/energy-crisis-in-pakistan/ http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\11\04\story_4-11-2009_pg5_2 http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compulsory-subjects/current-affairs/current-affairsnotes/4082-energy-crisis-pakistan.html http://ipripak.org/factfiles/ff99.pdf http://pkproblems.com/index.php/category/social-problems/energy-crisis-pakistan/ http://bznotes.wordpress.com/2007/06/25/renewable-energy-for-pakistan-way-forward/