ISLAMABAD, June 14: The loadshedding is likely to be significantly reduced in the next few days, following a decision to release more water for power generation and purchase surplus production from private industrial units, besides expected fall in temperatures.

In a major policy decision, the government decided to set aside existing laws to allow sale of electricity by captive power plants (CPPs) to power utilities or adjacent consumers. While the generation companies were criticised for forced outages, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) was asked to release additional water for power generation to reduce people’s suffering.

The decisions taken at a series of meetings held at the ministry of water and power and the prime minister secretariat here on Thursday, would together reduce loadshedding by about 1,000MW, informed sources told Dawn.

The meetings were also briefed on forecasts for rainfall over the next few days that would lower temperature and reduce power demand.

At a meeting presided over by Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi, the Irsa was asked to consider releasing additional water for power generation to cope with the energy crisis. The Irsa has so far released more than five million acre feet of water for generating power during the current season, the sources said.

The minister directed the power companies to keep their plants in operation round the clock and work on an emergency basis to expedite repairs at closed units.

Nepra Chairman Lt.Gen Saeed-uz-Zaffar told Dawn that a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz decided to allow captive power plants of less than 50MW capacity (mostly in the textile sector) to sell electricity to respective distribution companies in their areas or to the national grid and dispatch company or to nearby consumers.

Under the law, he said such companies are not allowed to sell their surplus electricity unless they get generation and distribution licences although they are known to have over 400MW of surplus capacity. The condition of licences has been removed for the time being that would ultimately lead to procedural improvements.

The CPPs and the power purchaser would have to negotiate tariff at their own and hopefully this 400MW electricity would be available to the system within a week, he added. Besides, another 50-100MW of surplus electricity was available with very small CPPs that could also be used in the national grid, he said.

In a separate meeting, Mr Jatoi also directed the Wapda authorities to approach the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Company Limited to provide additional gas to energise power stations in Faisalabad and Muzaffargarh on an emergency basis.