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ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has presented to the Ministry of Water and Power a proposed ‘Economic and Dispatch Model’ to improve the power sector. A USAID team held a meeting with Federal Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar on Wednesday and explained the main features of the model which focuses on power system analysis, economic dispatch and fuel requirements, generation mix and financial impact of the dispatch model and related issues.
Qamar informed the USAID team that the government was pursuing reforms in the power sector by outsourcing of public sector energy plants, construction of mega dams and hydel projects, measures to change the energy mix for cheaper energy, ending of circular debt, reduction in line losses and recovery of outstanding dues.
He said that efforts were being made to make improvements in the power sector in order to reduce line losses and gap between demand and supply.
The minister hoped that the proposed ‘Economic Dispatch Model’ will help to resolve various issues of power sector.
USAID Adviser Technical Bob Collins led a four-member team to make presentation on the dispatch model to the water and power ministry.
The plan calls for both expediting energy sector reforms and soliciting sufficient investments in electricity generation and fuel supply to end the power crisis within five years as noted in the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue and the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Task Force Report.
It has been estimated that only 55 per cent of the population has access to modern energy services, and 64 per cent of public schools have no electricity.
Unreliable electricity service also undermines the cold chain vital to the distribution of medicines and perishable foods, affecting public health.
