Power supply during summer: no relief in sight

Director General Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco), Muhammad Khalid fears a catch-22 like situation in upcoming summer season, apprehending a continuity of loadshedding with marginal reduction in the gap between demand and supply, amidst addition to the power generation resources. He was responding to queries in a press conference held at the Wapda auditorium here on Saturday.
While listing down the factors behind loadshedding during current winter, the DG Pepco said short supply of furnace oil from the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), insufficient gas supply and canal desilting campaign in the country resulted in an average loadshedding of 3000MW since December 2010 to date.
He said the PSO had committed a supply of 23,000 tones supply of furnace oil to thermal units but it failed to fulfil its commitment. The PSO could ensure supply of 15000 tones of furnace oil on average, resulting in loadshedding in the system, he added.He further said that insufficient gas supply to power generation units added fuel to the fire and the power plants including SAP, Saphire and Orient were denied gas altogether.
"We had no option but to run these units on HSFD," he said, adding, "Two units of Guddu power plant were also closed due to gas suspension and similar was the case with Faisalabad, Quetta and two units of Kot Addu power plants, resulting in a shortage of about 1000MW."
Khalid termed unavailability of gas to the power generation plants as a setback. According to him, the foggy weather has also played role, especially the Upper Sindh where generation capacity of three power plants including Guddu, Angro and Liberty was disturbed, resulting in a shortage of 625MW altogether.
The DG Pepco said reduction in water releases at Tarbela, Mangla and Tonsa also hit the power generation system, amidst canal desilting. He said the Pepco approached the IRSA and got rehabilitated the water releases accordingly. He expressed hope that canal desilting would be over by 31st January. Adding that the Punjab government has informed that the Upper Canal Jhelum would resume water supply on 5th February.
He said the hydel generation is likely to cross 3000MW of power generation after the canals desilting is over. Khalid expressed hope that new power plants would get into the system by upcoming summer, adding 1150MW in next few weeks and likely to improve the situation.