How to Have more Electricity & Gas

Modern life for us will surely be impossible without electric energy and natural gas. We need them almost everywhere in our homes, in the shops, in the factories, on the farms, on the roads and in all public places like hospitals and educational institutions. For some years now, we have been trying to solve our electricity problems. We are faced with an acute(serious) shortage of electricity worse than that of the 1980s and early 1990s. In addition, the gas supply situation has seriously worsened .

First, the water level in the dams likes the Tarbela, Langland, and Warsak is at times very low. Because of it, the generation (production) of hydroelectric power suffers a great deal. Then we have not constructed until now as many dams as we need. For example, the Kalabagh dam on the Indus and the Diamer Bhasha dam in the northern areas and certain other such possible dams could have eased the present difficult situation. The few newly discovered gas fields have not been put to use.

Second, we do not have enough facilities for the generation of thermal power (power produced from coal, oil or gas.) Thermal power stations are highly expensive for a developing country like ours. Our efforts to set up such power stations with the IPPs (Independent Power Producers) skyrocketed electricity rates and brought the Wapda close to bankruptcy.

Third, we do not have enough nuclear power stations because of our dependence on hydroelectric power. We do not have experts and equipment to produce electricity from our big Thar coal reserves. We do not have enough money, experts and equipment to use our huge gas reserves.

Fourth, new industries continue to be set up and agriculture continues to be mechanized. Factories in the industrial centers and tube-wells and power-operated farm machinery need electricity most of the time. Its shortage and repeated load shedding affect population badly. The shortage of gas in our fertilizer plants and machines has slowed down agricultural and industrial development.

Fifth, the demand for electricity continues to rise with the electrification of our villages. New housing colonies demand electricity and gas urgently.

Sixth, rich families, business establishments and offices use air-conditioners in the summer and electric and gas heaters in the winter. This is a serious drain on our energy resources. It will be in national interest to reduce the use of these appliances. Even the use of extra electric fans, refrigerators and lights affects the power supply badly. Too much use of gas in vehicles, hotels and homes puts a heavy load on the available gas.

We should increase power production in all possible ways. There is the need to store in our dams the water of our rivers, rainwater and water from melted ice flowing in natural channels. There should be more dams for this purpose. Gas production from the existing gas fields should be increased and new gasfields discovered. There should be strict government control over wasteful use of gas all over the country. The NGOs (non-governmental organizations), political parties and social groups should co-operate with the governments in this. Electricity and gas thefts have been reported. This corruption must be rooted out with an iron hand.