KARACHI - The long-hour loadshedding across the country is attributed to inefficiency, negligence of the past governments and posting of non-technical management heads in Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) because unskilled management failed to increase power generation since last one decade. Talking to The Nation, KESC Business Operations Executive-Director Syed Tanzeem Hussain Naqvi said load-shedding, system tripping, major breakdowns and demand and supply gap were the products of years of negligence. "In fact the whole problem of the power shortage is being tackled by the authority in a non-technical way," he added. Naqvi further disclosed that per capita power consumption in Pakistan is one of the lowest in the world (413 kilowatt-hours (kWh) compared, for example, to the Philippines with 497 kWh and Thailand with 1,414 kWh). Only 55 percent of Pakistan's population has access to electricity from the national grid. The remaining 45 percent use kerosene, wood, and other bio-fuels for lighting, cooking, and heating purposes, he added. He said, "A growing population and thriving economy means that demand for electricity is increasing with an ever accelerating growth trajectory. Pakistan's electricity consumption increased at a compound average growth rate of 7.8 percent from 2001 to 2007, with faster growth rates registered among certain key (for a city such as Karachi) classes of users, for example, residential, commercial, and industrial. Average electricity demand growth for Pakistan has already reached, and is forecast to continue at, approximately 8.3 percent per annum (for 2005-2015), exceeding recent economic growth rates of about 6 percent. WAPDA and KESC collectively registered unit sales growth of 10.23 percent in 2007." At present, the total installed power generating capacity in Pakistan is 19,252 MW, of which some 15,072 MW represents firm supply. To cope with expected growth in electricity demand, Pakistan is likely to require about 2,000 MW of new capacity each year to avoid power shortages that could otherwise amount to as much as 15 percent within 2 years, he said. Naqvi said filling the demand and supply gap of electricity, the major steps should have been taken but unfortunately unskilled management heads were appointed who failed to increase electricity generation capacity. Defining the solution of the electricity shortage problems he said to overcome the loadshedding crisis, government could adopt three kinds of solutions. "In short-term solutions, WAPDA should be allowed to install new power turbines at Shahdra, Faisalabad and Multan, where old machines have been closed but infrastructure is available. At each of the above stations, 250 MVA turbines can be installed to produce electricity upto 1500 to 2000 MW within six to seven month period," he added. He said that in mid term solution WAPDA should be allowed to call tender on turn key basis for Thermal/Gas power station at different locations on footing basis, specially for Thar Coal Power Project which would be completed within 2 to 3 years period and had installed capacity of more than 3,000MW. "If government want to adopt long term solution than WAPDA must prepare plans for installation of Hydro Electric Power Plants at various locations like Munda Dam and Bonji Dam," he said. If contracts of said Hydral station are awarded in the year 2008, those project could be completed in next 5 to 7 years time to cater for load growth in the coming years of 2012 to 1215, he added.