Artificial shortfall

The recent Nepra report detailing gross mismanagement in the energy sector is shocking. But it is nothing when compared to what the government did back in 2007-08. Nepra should also investigate the causes behind the sudden energy shortfall we faced at the end of 2007 and which continues till today. An engineer can tell you that the 12-hour loadshedding that the Musharraf-led government started in 2007 actually means half of our electricity production simply disappeared – which is not possible.
On closer look one would find that a number of power plants were shut down on purpose. Since our 70 percent energy production comes from fuel-based thermal plants, turning these plants off was easy. This also meant that for every month a plant was not operational, the government had to pay a capacity fee. But since there was no electricity to sell, the government got nothing in return. This resulted in circular debt that ironically was also termed another reason for loadshedding. The reality is that the people of this country were taken for a ride and duped into thinking that there was an electricity shortfall. In fact, the shortfall was artificially created by the Musharraf-led government. The strategy was copied and strengthened by the PPP-led government.
Engr Muhammad Baseer Khan
Peshawar