Exporters kept making hue and cry throughout Saturday over delay in exempting power-dependent manufacturing units from loadshedding. They challenged the government's claim of adding 10,000 megawatt electricity to the system, saying what the use of such a false claim is when the industry is facing a situation as was in 2013 when the present government had taken over and promised to overcome power crisis.
It may be noted that total demand for electricity had stood at 18,301 megawatt against a generation of 14,265 megawatt, leaving the system with a shortfall of 4036 megawatt during the peak hours in August 2013 when the present government had taken charge.
Now, in the month of May 2018, the demand has reached 21,000 megawatt against a generation of 16,168 megawatt leaving the system with a shortfall 4832 megawatt, almost equal to the level of 2013.
The industry sources deplored that the prevailing situation is no different from 2013, as the export-oriented manufacturing units are exposed to 10 hours a day loadshedding even today, starting from 6pm in the evening to 4am in the morning to facilitate domestic consumers for Iftar, Taraveeh and Sehr.
Besides, they added, the government is also observing loadshedding in the domestic sector, against a negation of its tall claims of adding 10,000 megawatt electricity to the system.
Furthermore, they pointed out that the electricity was cheap in 2013 and it has become expensive in 2018 which is mostly not available. According to the exporting circles, the present government has also increased electricity price by 61 percent for the exporting industry despite a significant drop in oil prices since 2013.
"The government kept increasing industrial tariff to imbalance our cost of production when petroleum prices were tumbling down. It is unfortunate that the government did not pass the benefit of low oil prices on us," said one industrialist.
He pointed out that an anti-industry and hostile environment against the exporters in Punjab has resulted into closure of manufacturing units and the situation became worst than what the industry was facing in 2013.
Another industrialist, seeking anonymity, said the government has been determining electricity prices time and again, resulting into increase in the tariff by Rs3 to 4 under the head of fuel price adjustment.
Interestingly, the total installed capacity was 22,693 megawatt in 2013 that has increased to 30,458 megawatt in 2018. But the industry circles have pointed out that there is no use of this increase in installed capacity when the industry is being deprived of power availability for a period equal to 2013.
However, the power sector sources rejected the criticism, saying that the industry might be exposed to 20 hours a day loadshedding in case there was no addition of 10,000 megawatt power to the system. They said a raise of over 6,000 megawatt in demand over the last five years added pressure on the system that was defused through addition of new electricity. They said a drop in hydel generation during the month of April and May by half has led to industrial loadshedding by the government. However, they pointed out that the federal government was about to exempt power-dependent export-oriented industrial units from loadshedding from Sunday (today).
But the industry circles have pointed out that the federal government has already made such announcements in the past and backed out instantly. Therefore, they would not believe in any announcement until the execution is in place.
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