ISLAMABAD, JUN 06 (DNA) – Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday has expressed dissatisfaction over electricity load shedding management in the session of Cabinet Committee on Energy.

Chairing the meeting, PM Nawaz emphasized that pro-active planning should be exercised regarding power supply and demand. He said it is very unfortunate that planning by relevant authorities is undertaken without inculcating important contingency factors that could not be ruled out.

He directed the Ministry of Water and Power to undertake power supply and demand analysis till the year 2023 so as to undertake integrated long-term planning with regard to fulfilling energy requirements of the country over the foreseeable future.

Nawaz Sharif also directed to work out shifting of scheduled outages of power plants on account of repairs and maintenance from summer season to winter season so that maximum power is provided when most required during months of peak power demand.

The CCE meeting unanimously approved that no power shutdowns be carried out on account of development works during Ramazan.

The meeting also decided that factors including increase in use of electric appliances due to economic prosperity and behavioral patterns of power consumers be included in the estimation of projected power demands.

Secretary Water and Power Division briefed the meeting on progress of decisions made in the previous meeting including working of the inter-ministerial committee of Finance, Water and Power and Petroleum and Natural Resources ministries, power supply and demand analysis till September 2018 and utilization of idle power plants.

Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Minister and other senior officials attended the meeting.