December 18, 2008	Thursday	Zilhaj 19, 1429

HYDERABAD, Dec 17: Chief Executive of Hesco K.B. Qureshi here on Wednesday signed two agreements with private power producers for purchase of electricity.

One agreement was signed with the general manager of Saphire Textile Mills, Kotri, Khalil Baloch, for the purchase of 4MW of electricity and the other with Dr Barkat Ali Choudhry of Ghotki Sugar Mills for the purchase of 3MW electricity.

Speaking on the occasion, the Hesco chief said that the first priority of the company was to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to consumers and added that the purchase of 7MW of electricity will help reduce load-shedding.

He said that the company has till date signed five agreements with private power producers for the purchase of 20MW. He disclosed that agreements were also in the pipeline to purchase electricity from 18 other private power producers.

He said government was also in touch with international organisations for the installation of wind mills for power generation. He said the total demand of electricity within the jurisdiction of Hesco was 1,276MW while the shortage was to the extent of 300MW.

He said the company has been obliged to introduce load management programme of four hours in the urban areas and six hours in the rural areas. He appealed to the consumers to conserve power supply, use energy savers and pay bills on time.