Power division has informed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that currently giving an end to power cuts will not be possible owing to shortage of funds and high prices of fuel in the international market.
According to sources, power load-shedding has become a tough task for the government and the power division has informed the Prime Minister about problems and issues being faced to give an end to the power cuts. The Premier has advised the power division to continue power load management till receiving the package from friendly countries.
“PM Shehbaz Sharif has tasked former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to ensure import of additional Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to the country and signing of new agreement with new terms and conditions with Qatar,” said the sources.
Sources also said that the power division has made it clear to the Premier that power load-shedding should continue for two months in the better interest of nation and national exchequer. Similarly, electricity production with LNG or furnace oil will be costly if additional power is produced from the gas-fired or oil-run power plants. Furthermore, increase in power tariff and billions of rupee losses can be saved by producing less electricity.
It is relevant to note that all parts of the country are facing hours-long severe power load-shedding amid hot weather. However, the power division has been saying a different mantra that power load management is being done by all power distribution companies (DISCOs) only in those areas from where recovery of dues is very small.
Rebutting the news of 5,600 megawatt shortfall and total 20,000MW power generation, the power division on Wednesday said that 22,600MW power production was recorded on Tuesday and the demand and supply was in a balanced position.
Contrary to the data shared by the power division regarding electricity demand, supply and shortfall, sources in the energy sector claimed that total power production is around 22,600MW while demand is approximately ranging between 25,000MW to 27,000MW and the shortfall is ranging between 4,000MW to 5,000MW. They also said that power generation capability shortfall is also because of non-availability of fuel to the power plants and it will be acute in near future if the fuel stocks are not replenished on immediate basis.
DISCOs have carried out load management without any announcement of load management by the power division mainly to bridge the gap between supply and demand during the ongoing hot weather season, said energy sector sources.
Courtesy: Pakistan Today