Pakistan introduces two weekly offs to save energy
ISLAMABAD. April 22. KAZINFORM Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday announced wide-ranging conservation measures to deal with the growing energy crisis as some 4500 MW electricity shortfall has badly affected the country's economy and business community; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
The measures include two weekly off days for three months for government workers, staggered industrial closure for one day a week, closure of markets at sunset, partial diversion of gas from industry to power generation and payment of 116 billion rupees ( about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars) to power companies to reduce energy crisis.
"These steps area aimed at giving relief to the people," the prime minister told a news conference as protest against power outage continued in several cities on Thursday.
The measures were announced at the conclusion of two-day high level meeting in Islamabad. The meeting was attended by chief ministers of four provinces and top officials from the federal government.
The energy conservation measures agreed to reduce energy demand by about 2400MW and speed up implementation of 1125MW of already approved rental power projects (RPPs) and fast-track completion of another 2100MW of independent power projects (IPPs) within eight months.
Pakistani Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf told the news conference that all the energy conservation recommendations will be reviewed after every 15 days.
The capital Islamabad daily observes up to five hours loadshedding while other main cities do not receive electricity for up to 15 hours in 24 hours; Kazinform cites Xinhua.
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