Charter of the Economy One of the major priorities of the PML-(N) Government was rapid growth in electricity generation capacity. The Punjab Government invested in two major plants with capacity each of 1000 MW. New IPPs also entered the sector. Under the umbrella of CPEC, a number of Chinese power plants have also been installed with coal as the fuel source. There has been visible success in expansion of capacity. By 2019-20, the capacity has increased by over 14800 MW. The rate of capacity utilization is down to 70 percent and the incidence of power outages has been virtually eliminated except occasionally in summer time. The distribution of capacity and actual generation by source are given in the Table 23.2 and Table 23.3, respectively. The fastest growth in recent years has been in thermal, nuclear and renewable energy. The distribution of generation is 65 percent by thermal power, 26 percent by hydro-electricity and 9 percent by nuclear and renewable energy. The largest fuel source for thermal power is gas/RLNG, with a share of 56 percent, followed by coal. Table 23.2: Power Generation Capacity by Source Hydel g(%) Thermal g(%) Nuclear+ Renewable 2000-01 4867 12169 462 2004-05 6499 7.2 12423 0.5 462 2009-10 6481-0.1 13978 2.4 787 2014-15 7030 1.6 15541 2.1 1188 2019-20 9874 6.8 25244 9.7 3514 Source: PES g(%) 0.0 10.6 8.2 21.6 Total Capacity 17498 19384 20922 23759 38619 (MW) g(%) 2.6 1.5 2.5 9.7 Table 23.3: Power Generation by Source Hydel g(%) Thermal g(%) 2000-01 17194 48926 2004-05 25671 10.0 57162 3.9 2009-10 28093 1.8 64371 2.4 2014-15 32474 2.9 67886 1.1 2019-20 9874 6.8 25244 9.7 Source: PES Nuclear+ Renewable 1997 2795 2894 6606 3514 g(%) 8.4 0.7 16.5 21.6 (Gwh) Total Generation g(%) 68117 85378 5.6 95608 2.3 107408 2.3 38619 9.7 The pattern of consumption of electricity is given in Table 23.4. There is relative dominance of domestic consumers in consumption of electricity in Pakistan, with a share of 49 percent. Next is industry with a share of 26 percent, followed by commercial and other consumers, mostly agricultural and government, with shares of 8 percent and 17 percent respectively. There was negative growth in electricity consumption in 2019-20 due to the COVID-19 attack. 222