Redistributing resources: SSGC to supply extra gas to KE

SSGC informs CNG station owners of 48-hour suspension on Fridays and Saturdays

KARACHI:

As the city struggles with yet another electricity crisis, the Sui Southern Gas Company has decided to supply additional gas to K-Electric on the directives of the federal government.

In order to achieve this, however, the supply of gas to industrial units with captive power plants will be cut off from Fridays to Sundays, while CNG stations will have their supply suspended on Fridays and Saturdays.

SSGC officials have reportedly informed the city's industrial associations of this step, advising them to make alternative arrangements for their captive power plants in line with the gas sales agreement.

The gas utility has also written to CNG station owners to inform them of the 48-hour suspension, from 8am on Friday to 8am on Sunday.

Rejecting the two-day shutdown, leaders of various CNG station associations decried that the interest of millions of CNG consumers was being swept aside for the benefit of a private company.

Pointing out that it would leave those dependent on public transport stranded, they asked why industries and CNG stations were being suffocated to provide KE with cheap gas, rather than the power utility being ordered to use furnace oil to generate electricity.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2020.