Power Generation in Pakistan
“Electricity is Life” said Lenin exactly 100 years ago.
Optimum Installed Power Production Capacity:
1. By means of Fossil Fuels :
65 % of Total Power Production is via Fossil Fuels in Pakistan.
Production by Fossil Fuels: 13,637 MW
Fossil Fuel Generation is taken by 40 different projects including 23 IPPs (International Power Producers) in private sectors.
It is the most expensive and sustainable source of electricity in Pakistan.
2. By means of Hydel Power:
31 % of Total Power Production is via Hydel Power in Pakistan.
Production by Hydel Power: 6,654 MW
Taken by 16 different Projects
Tarbela Dam is the Largest Source of Hydel Power Production in Pakistan.
Generation Capacity of Tarbela Dam at the best times is 3478 MW.
Chitral and Renala are the two (2) smallest source of Hydel Power Production in Pakistan. Generation Capacity of Chitral and Renala is 1 MW each. The output depends on water flow.
3. By means of Nuclear Energy:
4 % of Total Power Production is via Nuclear Energy in Pakistan.
Production by Nuclear Energy: 812 MW
Taken by Four (4) different projects
Chashma Project is the largest source of Power Production by means of Nuclear Energy in Pakistan and its Generation Capacity is 340 MW.

 Critical Analysis:

Demand of Power Production in Pakistan is 24000 MW. It is 8000 MW more than the Power being generated, hence Load shedding.
Demand Level can be double in next ten (10) years if a same condition prevails.
According to UNDP (United Nation Development Program) Report 2013, if economy of Pakistan grows at 5 % a year, power demand rises by 7 % a years.

 Remedies:
1. One study claims that 30,000 MW of additional Hydel Power can be planned along Indus River alone if Power Generating Dam being located every 30 km. It means thirty (30) medium sized Power Stations of 1000 MW each. This plan already exists in archive of Wapda.
2. Thermal Gas imported from Iran can be used to power ten (10) Gas Fired Power Stations of 2,000 MW each.

Extracted from: Power Mix of Funds and Brains
Article By: Majid Sheikh
Dawn: March 2, 2014