HYDERABAD: State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali has ruled out renewal of the agreement which expired last month with K-Electric for supply of 650 megawatts from the national grid on previous terms and conditions.

Speaking to journalists after chairing a meeting of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) officers at the Sindh Museum on Tuesday, he said the power utility had to clear Rs100 billion dues of the government.

Also read: K-Electric may not get 650MW

Hesco Chief Executive Officer Saleem Jatt and other officers were also present on the occasion.

He said 1,500MW of energy would be added to the system by the coming summer to reduce loadshedding to six hours from last year’s duration of 10 to 12 hours. By 2017 Pakistan would hopefully become a loadshedding free country, he added.

The minister said the prime minister had ordered the ministry of finance to release Rs50 billion for the Neelum-Jhelum power project as well and it would be commissioned by 2016 whereas the Nandipur project would hopefully be ready by May this year.