LAHORE, March 8: Wapda is installing two thermal power plants as a stopgap arrangement to produce 286mw of electricity, claims an official of the authority.

Both the plants are being installed near Lahore — Sheikhupura and Bhiki grid stations. One of the plants of 150mw has already been installed and is under a test-run since Feb 28. Civil work for the other one is complete and the equipment is on high seas, which will arrive in few weeks.

The authority, he said, had got these plants on a rental basis for the next three years, when regular independent power producers were scheduled to come online.

“The current crisis in power generation is the result of the official decision to stop Wapda from installing thermal power units since 1987.”

He said the IPPs had provided a big boost in generation during 1990s, but their capacity was exhausted by 2004. They started facing problem in 2005, and 2006 was a downright disaster.

The official said during these years, the authority’s problems stemmed not only from generation deficit but also from its inability to transmit power.

The authority, unable to undertake power generation projects, concentrated on creating transmission network. It carried out 13 projects at a cost of Rs18 billion to augment transmission capacity and Rs38 billion projects were under way, he said.