Power shortfall narrows to 4,848MW

Electricity outages in major cities reduced to two to three hours a day

ISLAMABAD:

The electricity shortfall in the country currently stands at 4,848 megawatts after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had some of the closed power plants reopened.

At the start of June, citizens reeled under 12-hour-long prolonged power outages as the electricity shortfall increased to 6,690 MW.

Then earlier this month, PM Shehbaz had ordered authorities to reopen closed power plants to ease the electricity crisis in the country.

Chairing a meeting in Lahore on the power situation, he had also sought an explanation for the prolonged spells of electricity outages.

The power shortfall in the country back then had reached 7,787 MW, because of which electricity outages of up to 16 hours were being carried out in different parts of the country.

However, the situation is becoming better now as the power outages in the major cities of the country have reduced to around two to three hours a day.

But areas with high losses will suffer more hours of outages, according to sources in the Power Division.

The sources said the total production of electricity was 20,152 MW against the  demand of 25,900 MW.

They said 6,400 MW electricity was being generated from hydropower sources and government thermal plants were producing 1,233 MW.

The total production of private sector power plants is 9,500 MW.

Wind power plants are generating 500 MW and the contribution of solar energy stands at 113 MW.

Bagasse-powered plants are producing 121 MW and nuclear fuel is generating 2,285 MW.

The water supply situation has started improving in the country after the recent spell of rains as was evident from increased flow in rivers.

A Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) spokesperson shared details of Pakistan’s reservoirs, showing an improvement in the inflows.

The water inflow in Tarbela Dam was 89,700 cusecs and the outflow was 12,000 cusecs.

The inflow in Mangla stood at 30,700 cusecs and outflow is 15,000 cusecs.

The inflow in Chashma is 233,500 cusecs and outflow 219,900 cusecs.

At Head Marala, the inflow of water into the Chenab River is 68,700 cusecs and the discharge is 43,600 cusecs.

The inflow of water into the Kabul River in Nowshera is 59,600 cusecs and the outflow is 59,600 cusecs.

The spokesperson said the water level in Tarbela Dam on Saturday stood at 3.43 million acres feet (MAF).

Similarly, he added that the water level in  Mangla Dam and Chashma was 1.5 and 278,000 MAF, respectively.