ISLAMABAD: The government is expected to increase by 60 per cent the subsidy provided to the power sector in July to ensure minimum loadshedding during Sehr, Iftar and Taraveeh times.

The Ministry of Water and Power said on Sunday the government would provide an additional Rs14 billion to power companies during Ramazan to minimise the difficulties faced by the people.

The power sector usually receives Rs22-24bn in subsidies every month, an amount which is expected to rise to about Rs35bn next month.

The ministry had also requested 114 million cubic feet per day of natural gas supply for diesel-based power plants to ensure that power generation costs did not exceed limits.

Also read: Extended blackouts during Ramazan feared

These plants would be brought online only if gas is available. The ministry said a monitoring unit had been established under Power Secretary Nargis Sethi and the chief executives of major distribution companies who would be on hand at the ministry from 2am to monitor uninterrupted power supply during Sehr and then again, through video link, at Iftar time until the end of Taraveeh prayers.

All distribution companies and the ministry have installed dedicated landlines and mobile numbers at their control centres so that any fault occurring can be rectified on a fast-track basis.

At the distribution level, down the line duties of staff have been assigned, the necessary equipment and their replacement parts have been arranged so that prompt action could be taken in case of technical faults.

Also read: No loadshedding at Sehri, Iftar: KE

The ministry said there were some transmission constraints due to which there might be a gap in the demand and supply. The ministry is trying to reduce loadshedding during Ramazan and has requested consumers to conserve electricity so that all people could enjoy uninterrupted power supply.

Apart from the six hours around Sehr, Iftar and Taraveeh prayers, urban areas will experience loadshedding of up to five hours while rural areas will see blackouts for seven hours during the day.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2014