Gas supply to KESC suspended
SSGC completely stopped the gas supply to KESC causing a huge deficit in power generation.
KARACHI:
The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has said it has no other choice but to carry out load-shedding for up to 16 hours in the city’s industrial zones, owing to the stoppage of gas supply from the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Ltd from Sunday.
The utility’s spokesman Amir Abbasi told The Express Tribune that SSGC completely stopped the gas supply to KESC causing a huge deficit in power generation. Because of no gas supply, KESC had to completely shift to the use of furnace oil to generate power.
Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry former president A Q Khalil said that a couple of weeks ago when he met with the KESC CEO, he asked him to improve power-generation methods. However, it was learnt that the government had only released a fraction of the subsidy worth Rs 75 million, he said.
In that meeting, both the KESC CEO and SSGC MD had said that they had good relations with each other but the issue of outstanding dues was a separate case and needed quick resolution. The KESC owes Rs60 billion to SSGC.
Sindh chief minister’s adviser Zubair Motiwala said that he had personally talked to KESC high officials on the issue of extending load-shedding to 16-hours.
“This will curtail trade and economic activities and businessmen will not be able to meet export requirements.” He said he had also spoken to the SSGC managing director who told him that the SSGC was lacking the required amount of gas.
However, Motiwala said that there is no gas shortage in the country and it was purely a matter of management, which SSGC has failed to maintain. By improving and maintaining the gas load management, the crisis could be dealt with.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2011.
The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has said it has no other choice but to carry out load-shedding for up to 16 hours in the city’s industrial zones, owing to the stoppage of gas supply from the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Ltd from Sunday.
The utility’s spokesman Amir Abbasi told The Express Tribune that SSGC completely stopped the gas supply to KESC causing a huge deficit in power generation. Because of no gas supply, KESC had to completely shift to the use of furnace oil to generate power.
Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry former president A Q Khalil said that a couple of weeks ago when he met with the KESC CEO, he asked him to improve power-generation methods. However, it was learnt that the government had only released a fraction of the subsidy worth Rs 75 million, he said.
In that meeting, both the KESC CEO and SSGC MD had said that they had good relations with each other but the issue of outstanding dues was a separate case and needed quick resolution. The KESC owes Rs60 billion to SSGC.
Sindh chief minister’s adviser Zubair Motiwala said that he had personally talked to KESC high officials on the issue of extending load-shedding to 16-hours.
“This will curtail trade and economic activities and businessmen will not be able to meet export requirements.” He said he had also spoken to the SSGC managing director who told him that the SSGC was lacking the required amount of gas.
However, Motiwala said that there is no gas shortage in the country and it was purely a matter of management, which SSGC has failed to maintain. By improving and maintaining the gas load management, the crisis could be dealt with.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2011.