LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) has offered its network to the industry for shifting of operational load in the absence of gas supply to their captive power plants (CPPs), said sources.
However, they said the offer would be of no use to the industry as manufacturing units lack logistics to immediately shift their load on the Lesco network. The industry, including the zero-rated industry (ZRI), is facing suspension of gas supply under a load management plan of the federal government to prioritize domestic consumers and fertilizer sector. The ZRI was enjoying exemption earlier that has been withdrawn this year.
“Manufacturing units will not procure equipment and invest on a transmission line to shift their load on Lesco network for next three months,” they added.
When contacted, Faraz Ahmed, technical manager at a leading industrial unit at Raiwind, confirmed the development, saying that the distribution company has offered them to shift maximum load to the network. However, he said, not a single mill has designed its transmission network to make such shifts on the Lesco network, as this exercise costs them heavily.
He further pointed out that the industry was expecting revival of gas supply from early next week.
When asked about the alternate sources to meet energy requirements, he said, the industry was using all the sources including furnace, diesel and solar to meet energy requirements. However, he said, power generation through diesel costs the industry Rs 37 per unit, while the price of furnace was Rs 117 per kg that has dropped to Rs 98 per kg a day earlier. On the option of solar generation, he said, the industry could not rely on this source, as its availability is restricted to limited hours.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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