Steam power station resumes production

Gas supply to power station restored.

FAISALABAD:

The abandoned steam power station in the city has resumed production and is initially generating 80 to 90 megawatts with the supply of 20 million cubic feet of gas per day on an emergency basis.

Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) President Engineer Suhail bin Rashid disclosed this on Friday after holding a meeting with Petroleum and Natural Resources Secretary Abid Saeed.

He said the FCCI was making efforts by taking on board State Water and Power Minister Abid Sher Ali and District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal to help revive dormant power plants and tackle power outages.

“In October last year, I visited this power plant that was lying abandoned due to unavailability of fuel while people were protesting against load-shedding,” he said, adding officials said the plant was in good working condition and could start generation as soon as gas supply was restored.

“We also wrote letters to ministries and held meetings with Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi,” he said. Rashid also appreciated the prime minister’s directive to cut power outages to the minimum. Citing his recent meeting with Petroleum Secretary Abid Saeed, the FCCI president said apart from the 20 mmcfd of gas being supplied initially, another 20 mmcfd would be provided in the next couple of days, which would enable the power plant to make a 100% increase in production.

This would provide much-needed relief to the people as unscheduled load-shedding would either be reduced or eliminated altogether.

Rashid, however, used the occasion to raise yet another demand and sought allocation of the electricity produced by the steam power station to the export industry of Faisalabad. “It will help exporters to start another production shift and increase exports, which is necessary after the grant of GSP-Plus status” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2014.

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