Load-shedding persists as shortfall increases

Insufficient fuel supply causes low power generation as attempts to restore it fail

LAHORE:

The country’s strained power system continues to fall short of meeting the leap in demand as the mercury rises skyward.

According to the sources, the insufficient fuel supply has been taking a heavy toll on power generation whereas the attempts to restore it have not yielded enough electricity to meet the demands. The electricity shortfall has increased to 6,085 megawatts against the demand of over 26,500 megawatts while the total production stood at 20,415 megawatts, sources shared and added that as a result, daily blackouts on Saturday plunged consumers in many parts of the country into darkness for nearly eight hours.

The situation was particularly worse in localities with high losses.

About 487 megawatts were being generated from wind power plants while electricity production from solar plants was zero. Bogas-powered plants were generating 170 megawatts while power generation from nuclear fuel was 2,283 megawatts.

Private sector power plants were the major producers of electricity, producing 10,615 megawatts.

Pakistan’s total power generation capacity was 36,039MW while the shortfall had led to frequent load-shedding.

It is pertinent to mention that on Thursday, as the shortfall continued to increase, Federal Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir said that Pakistan was experiencing more load-shedding than expected. He attributed the current situation to the delay in procurement of coal, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and furnace oil by the previous government.

He said that the country was suffering the consequences of the “tsunami of mismanagement”.

He mentioned that some power plants had to be shut down due to a 300 per cent increase in the price of coal.

The federal minister also alleged that former prime minister Imran Khan’s government did not make payments to independent power producers (IPPs).

He also said that the government had started preparations for July and August and the Petroleum Division signed agreements for four gas cargoes. He claimed that the fuel crisis had been solved.