Pakistan to Expand Advanced Power Metering Project

       The Federal Cabinet meeting has given preliminary approval to extend the project of installing advanced meters from the federal capital to other parts of the country, in addition to installing advanced meters on transformers to reduce line losses in the power sector.

　　The federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday, presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, also approved the Power Division's recommendation for measures to promote the use of low-cost solar energy as an alternative to expensive imported fuel across the country.

　　These measures include using solar energy during the day instead of expensive imported fuel in existing power plants, allowing local private investors to install small-scale solar power plants on 11KV feeders in rural areas, and providing solar power to government buildings.

　　While describing the average of 7% line losses as unsatisfactory, the prime minister directed for a comprehensive plan to reduce them to the international rate of line losses and to make recommendations for reform measures in the electricity distribution companies.

　　The Prime Minister has approved a 10.000MW solar energy generation plan.

　　In this regard, a committee chaired by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was formed.

　　This committee includes Federal Ministers for Commerce and Production Syed Naveed Qamar, Electricity Engineer Khuram Dastgir Khan, Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Shazia Marri, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik, Science and Technology Agha Hasan Baloch, and Housing Maulana Abdul Wasi.Adviser to the Prime Minister, Engr Amir Muqam and Secretary Power will be included in it.

　　After consultation, the committee will develop a comprehensive action plan and submit it to the cabinet within two weeks.

　　The Power Division briefed the meeting on statistics about power theft, line losses, outages, and the Power Division's strategy for reducing line losses, as well as bills, and ensuring quick recoveries by electricity distribution companies (DISCOs). The cabinet meeting was also briefed on the most loss-making feeders, the barriers to recovery from them, and the methods and recommendations for resolving these issues.

　　The premier directed the Power Division to submit a comprehensive report on important vacancies in the DISCOs to the next federal cabinet meeting, emphasizing the importance of making the recruitment process transparent and in line with international best practices.

　　The premier also directed that a list of corrupt officers be compiled and officers with good reputation be appointed to important positions in order to improve the performance of these companies, reduce losses, and provide better services to the public. He directed that such officers be recognized for their exceptional performance.

　　Prime Minister Shehbaz briefed the cabinet on the details of his visit to Kazakhstan, as well as his attendance at international conferences in September and October, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the United Nations General Assembly, and, most recently, the CICA summit. He stated that detailed meetings with the heads of state of Central Asian states had taken place.