Energy shortfall still a threat to the economy: PEW
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The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Friday said energy situation has improved but its scarcity is still a threat to the economy.
The government is too much focused on new energy projects while it should also promote efficient use of electricity, it said.
Losses due to load-shedding is still eating up a sizable share of the GDP as average power shortfall remains 4000 megawatt while average gas shortfall is at 2000 cubic feet translating into losses of Rs 15 billion per annum, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
Weaknesses in the transmission and distribution system have resulted in the losses of Rs 250 billion within last seven years as domestic demand continue to increase by 10 percent annually.
Sixty percent households are using UPS costing them thirty billion rupees annually. There are almost 1.4 million tube wells and pumps in the country of which 90 percent are in the province of Punjab.
Energy shortage would be greatly reduced because of the energy projects, under CPEC which was creating positive effects in Pakistan and it would change the fate of countries and people along the routes, he noted.
He said that 11 out of the 17 priority energy projects were under construction while other energy projects of thousands of megawatt are in pipeline but some internal and external factors can delay their completion, which must be discouraged.
