September 29, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 28, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 28: The director general of the Pakistan Electric Power Company, Tahir Basharat Cheema, said on Sunday that the company was experiencing a power shortfall of 1500MW which was being overcome by load-shedding.

Talking to a private TV channel, he said that power generation might drop in October because of shortage of water in reservoirs.

He said that pleasant weather had played a major role in bringing down load-shedding in Ramazan.

However, he said, over the past two days the demand had gone up to 15000MW, forcing the company to undertake load management.

He said the company had prepared a plan to rid the country of load-shedding by August 14 next year.

He said two rental plants with a capacity of 1200MW power would start functioning by

April. Besides, he said, 15 independent power producers had agreed to invest in the country. Three IPPs would start producing power by December this year and others next year, he said.

Mr Cheema said a few more power projects would start production next year, making it possible for the company to end loadshedding by August 2009.

—APP