Gas supply to captive power plants suspended

Utility says decision made to facilitate domestic consumers

ISLAMABAD:

The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has decided to suspend supply to captive power sector amid a severe shortfall of the reserves in the country.

“Gas supply to the captive power sector will be suspended from 9:30pm tonight,” the SNGPL announced in a statement issued on Wednesday.

It added that the decision had been made to continue uninterrupted supply of gas to domestic consumers.

The utility claimed that domestic demand for gas had increased manifold following the cold wave gripping the country.

“The decision has been made in accordance with the approved load management programme,” the statement read.

The SNGPL requested its domestic consumers to use gas for cooking only.

It asked consumers to use electric heaters and geysers.

It further asked consumers to avoid using compressors, as it deprived other users of their rights.

The annual gas crisis in the country makes many in the country wish that winters are either minimal or non-existent because having hot food, taking a warm shower, or keeping oneself cozy become luxuries.

While some can comfortably switch to alternatives including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, wood, or coal in the colder months, for the average person these are out of reach due to retailers jacking up prices.

A day earlier, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said gas reserves in the country were depleting fast. He had warned that there would be no gas in the country in the coming years.

“People getting gas at cheaper rates in big cities should change their habits … this trend will not continue for long,” the government spokesperson had said while briefing the media on the federal cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier in the day.

“Gas is available to only 22% people living in cities while the burden is being borne by 78% people in other parts of the country who use liquefied petroleum gas, coal and other means.”

The minister had reiterated that gas was depleting by 9% every year for the last two years.

Energy Minister Hammad Azhar had claimed that gas shortage had nothing to do with LNG import.

“Gas companies would go bankrupt if the government started giving imported gas to consumers,” he had added while addressing the OGDCL Annual Technical Conference on Tuesday.

“Legislation is being enacted to determine the average price of domestic and imported gas,” the minister had said.

He had said that for the last 10 to 15 years, there had been a shortage of gas in the winter, while it had become a new statement under the incumbent government – “whether to buy LNG or not”.

“In the past, this issue was not properly addressed due to which we are running out of gas at the rate of 9% per year.”