PM Imran Khan approves shutdown of underperforming power plants

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday gave a go-ahead to shutdown underperforming power plants producing 1794-megawatt electricity across the country during a meeting on bringing reforms in the power sector, ARY NEWS reported.

The prime minister reviewed matters pertaining to circular debt, independent power producers (IPPs), the performance of power distribution companies (Discos), and reforms in the power sector during the meeting also attended by federal ministers Asad Umar, Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Muhammad Mian Somroo, Farogh Naseem, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Nadeem Babar, Shahzad Qasim, and others.

Besides deciding to immediately shut down 1794-megawatt power plants, the prime minister led meeting also okayed the closure of 1875-megawatt plants in the next two years.

The meeting was briefed that power units producing 1872-megawatt electricity would be privatized.

Speaking during the meeting, PM Imran Khan said that the masses had to bear the burden of mismanagement and corruption in the power sector.

Read More: Fed cabinet body okays plan to shut down underperforming power plants

The prime minister stressed the need to expedite IPP-related matters and said that resolving the circular debt matters would benefit the masses.

We are working on priority-basis to bring transparency in the system of subsidy, he said adding that reforms would be brought in providing subsidy to the power units.

He said that introducing reforms in the power sector was among their top priority and a weekly review of the process would be made.