Pressure of the textile industry forced the government to reduce the duration of the annual maintenance at the Qadirpur gas field that supplies 415 mmcfd to Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) to 10 days. The gas supplies suspended on Sunday (August 28) will gradually be restored on September 7.
An official source said the government had taken the decision to accommodate the textile tycoons who owned all industrial units in the Punjab. The Eid holiday season is expected to last September 5. The supplies will be gradually reverted back to the system, textile and fertiliser sectors being the main beneficiaries. Previously, the annual turn around (ATA) was planned for 20 days in September. However, the government decided that the maintenance should take place during the Eid holidays as labourers usually took long holidays after Eidul Fitr and industrial activities slowed down.
During the ATA the shortfall will be met through additional curtailment in CNG, power and fertilizer sectors. The CNG sector will not be affected during pre-Eid period, but after Eid it will get its full share.
As per the official document of gas load management plan available with Pakistan Today, this shortfall on account of ATA will be met through additional curtailment in industry, CNG, power and fertilizer sectors.
Curtailment for nine days at a stretch in the industrial sector, Zone-1 comprising Lahore, Sheikhupura and Sahiwal, will be from August 29 to September 6, September 1 to September 9, will be for the zone, including Bahawalpur, Multan, and Faisalabad. Then gas will be supplied for four days followed by a four-day curtailment from 15 September, while three gas holidays per week will be observed by the industrial sector. No gas will be available to independent power producers (IPPs) from August 29 to September 17. However, from 18 September, 38 MMCFD gas will be supplied to them.
No gas to fertilizer sector from August 26 to September 15 while 110 mmcfd gas will be supplied to two fertilizer plants at a time in a rotational manner from September 17.
Three gas holidays per week will be observed in the CNG sector. However, load management will not be observed in the CNG sector during the EID week while uninterrupted gas supply will be ensured to domestic and commercial consumers.
Who will bell the cat?
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