Power shortage…Where where???

Published in Frontier Post August 02 2008

By Emaad Qureshi



“India is facing a power shortage of 70,000 MW” said Lok Sabha, power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, “The potential for hydro power generation in the country was 1.5 lakh MW but merely 20% of it was exploited”, he said.

There is a serious misconception prevailing amongst most of people that Pakistan is the only country which is facing Power shortage but if we Google it we will find that, there are also countries that are facing more severe power shortage such as our own shinning India and next super power China.

Especially India is passing through its worst Power crisis. There are cities in India which are facing alarming situation; continuous load shedding in Bangalore has led to diesel shortage as people are using generators. States like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh West Bengal, Haryana are worst hit by this crisis and they are facing electricity shortfall of about 5,000MW, 1,000MW, 2000MW, 1,500MW respectively,. In Maharashtra officials are asking industries to lower their demand by 10% or ready to face forced load shedding. Cities and towns are facing 7 to 13 hours load shedding; one reason is under capacity working of .Dabhol Power plant.

Punjab's power crisis has been exacerbated because states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, AP, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, which form the south and western regions of the National Power Grid, are facing shortages themselves and have backed out of an earlier agreement to bank electricity with the PSEB. Far south in Kerala, government has announced 25% power cut for all industrial units. Economic analysts fear that this power breakdown can hit economic growth of the country.

In Assam, a drought like situation leading to poor hydropower generation and a weak distribution network have led to the state facing the worst ever power crises, prompting the state government to approach neighboring states as well as the Himalaya kingdom of Bhutan for power supply.Situation in China which is ready to be next Super power is not so bad but is serious. Chinese officials fear that it can seriously affect Olympic campaign. .According to an official of the State Grid Corporation (SGC) (Beijing).China's power shortage as of July 15 reached 14 gigawatts.Some analysts are of the view that China is facing at least facing 70 GW electricity shortfall and 13 provinces are mostly affected by this deficit

Experts are saying that the major reason for this power shortage is .forced shut down of smaller power plants that are badly hurt by rising coal prices and low Government controlled electricity rates, as in china mostly electricity is produced by Coal. Coal based generation accounts for 80% of China’s Power generation.

Where is Pakistan????


Compared to India and China, Pakistan is in better position. Pakistan is only facing 3000 to 5000MW electricity shortfall
People criticize Previous Pakistani Government that it failed to add even single Megawatt during their tenure but this is wrong assessment.

In 1999, our installed capacity was merely 15,860 MW. (With Hydel 4826 + Thermal 10,897 + Nuclear 137).In 2005-06, our installed capacity increased to become 20,495 MW. (With Hydel 6499 + Thermal 13,534 + Nuclear 462). The first unit of 290-megawatt of Ghazi Brotha Hydel Project (GBHP) went into operation in June 2003, and contributed around 50mw of electricity to the national grid. Four more units were added every quarter, and by 2004 the GBHP was contributing 1,450 mw.

Three rental power houses would start generating 1,067 megawatts of electricity by end of year 2008, respectively. Agreements had been signed with China to establish power plants at Nandipur and Chichu ki Malian, and tenders had been issued for two 500MW power plants at Dadu and Faisalabad which would be run by gas and furnace oil. An 800MW power plant would be set up at Guddu.

The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) is investing in a new 220-megawatt power plant that will help control the power shortages in the city. The plant has started generating 192MW by March and the remaining 28MW will start being distributed by December 2008.


The Ongoing Power Projects for which allocations were made in 2007-08 Budget, are Mangla Dam Raising Project (Rs 20 billion), Mirani Dam (Rs 500 million), Sabakzai Dam (Rs 200 million), Kurram Tangi Dam (Rs 2.84 billion), Sadpara Multipurpose Dam Rs (900 million), Gomal Zam Dam (Rs 1.8 billion), the Greater Thal Canal Phase I (Rs 8.5 billion), the Greater Thal Canal Phase II (Rs 2.5 billion), construction of 20 small dams in NWFP (Rs 870 million), Bhasha/ Diamer Dam (Rs 500 million), Khan-Khawar hydro project (Rs 1.3 billion), Dubir Khawar hydro project (Rs 2.1 billion), transmission arrangements for power dispersal of Ghazi Barotha (Rs 1.67 billion) and Neelam-Jhelum hydro project (Rs 10 billion).

So there is no need to fluster, we can easily take control of this crisis if we complete all these projects in time.

Emaad.qureshi@gmail.com

Writer is Pakistani Commentator based in Rawalpindi

What time is it?

By Emaad Qureshi Emaad.qureshi@gmail.com


“Which time you are asking old time or new time” This was the reply of School teacher when I inquired him about the latest time. This was not the answer i was expecting from him because he was an educated individual, who should know why we have moved our clocks one hour ahead and what are benefits of this system. This prompted me to write something about this issue which would be enough to enlighten the minds of our public.

Ist June 2008 was the date when Pakistan Government introduced Day light saving system and moved the clocks one hour ahead of the previous time. Now it is mid July but still Pakistani nation is confused about this system, including our educated class. We think that this system is just a fruitless exercise having no benefit for us. Our people are still stuck in old time new time confusion.

Before implementing this system Government should have launched a debate on media and there are also issues of publicity and dissemination of information about the DST program among the under-privileged, semi-literate, and illiterate sections of the society, which constitutes a large portion of the country’s population and whose access to the national electronic and print media is limited. Now because of unawareness most Pakistanis still have their watches set on Pre Ist June 2008 time system...

What is Daylight saving system (DST)?

Daylight saving time (DST) is the convention of advancing clocks so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn. Modern DST was first proposed in 1907 by William Willett

What are benefits?

In summer courtesy Day light saving system more out-door activities possible; more people will travel in daylight which will reduce road accidents. In the countries like Pakistan, where sunrise time in summer and winter varies too much, this system is very useful to take best advantage from sunlight.
In Pakistan where there is lot of difference in sunset time of summer and winter, without this system we were wasting one to two hours of daylight in the morning because these days sunrises at about 5 am and it is complete bright day after one hour of sunrise. When School/college going students will sleep one hour early and rise one hour early then it will save their time and also the energy which was previously used by them at night.

Many industrialists are upbeat about this system; they are expecting after implementation of this system we can save at least 50 to 100 MW of electricity. It will make available one additional hour of sunlight which will save at least 60 minutes of electricity usage and this a better option than the one hour load-shedding.
Every system has its merits-demerits and Daylight saving system is no different. We should also keep in mind that this system is followed by many advanced countries like England for many years; this fact proves that this system can be very useful.

Writer is Pakistani commentator based in Rawalpindi

Who will tell them?

Published in Frontier post 21st July 2008



Emaad.qureshi@gmail.com By Emaad Qureshi

Mohammad Asif has been an amazing bowler for Pakistan Cricket team, he has troubled many class players with his immaculate line- length and with his in-cutters and out-cutters but his off the ground activities have many times brought bad name for our country. First in June this year he was arrested by Dubai police on Dubai when he was coming back from India after playing IPL Twenty 20 Tournament, he was kept in jail for more than two and half weeks on the charges of carrying illegal drugs with him but Asif was insisting that it was some kind of “Hakeem kii Dua”.Someone should ask him and officials of Pakistan Cricket Board that when u r giving so much medical facilities to every player then what was “Hakeem ki dua” doing in the Wallet of Mohammad Asif?

After investigation Dubai police released Mohammad Asif and Pakistan Cricket Board gave the statement that no offense has been proved against Mohammad Asif, if nothing was proved against Mohammad Asif then why Pakistan Board constituted a committee to investigate the matter of Mohammad Asif.Another noticeable thing in this incident is that Why Indian airport authorities not found anything from Mohammad Asif during checking when he was going for the flight to Dubai?


Before that matter was settled Mohammad Asif lurched into another controversy, again the same banned substance controversy. It seems that Mohammad Asif has not learnt from his past mistakes, according to latest news he has again tested positive for banned substance nandrolone. Two years back along with Fast Bowler Shoaib Akhtar he was tested positive for banned substance nandrolone just before the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 in India. At that time Mohammad Asif was not banned from the Cricket but this time Pakistan Cricket Board should investigate this matter properly that why Mohammad Asif taken this medicine, what was his intentions? If he is found guilty he should be treated according to the law of cricket because no one is above Law. Pakistan Cricket Board should make an example of Mohanmmad Asif so that no one dare to do such type thing in future. This was indeed shocking news for Pakistani Cricket lovers, if a player at this level and of his caliber will indulge in this type of activities then it will further tarnish our image abroad.

Writer is Pakistani Commentator based in Rawalpindi