Massive gas load-shedding awaits Punjab this winter

The Managing Director SNGPL, while ruling out any sort of unscheduled load-shedding in future, has said that a massive gas load shedding awaits industrial consumers in Punjab this winter as the province faces a severe gas deficit at the moment.
The MD Sui Gas Arif Hameed was addressing industrialists at LCCI on Tuesday. LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh presented the Welcome Address while Vice President Saeeda Nazar, former Presidents Mian Anjum Nisar, Iftikhar Ali Malik, Sheikh Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Ali Mian spoke on the occasion. Chairman SNGPL and former LCCI President Mian Misbah ur Rehman also attended the meeting.
The MD said the gas shortfall in the month of October is 390mmcf which will increase to 500mmcf in November, 550mmcf in December and finally touches to its peak short fall of 840mmcf in January 2012 which will be historic.
He, however, gave good news to the industry that the weekly three-day gas load shedding would be reduced to two days after 22nd of this month. He said that the SNGPL is going to launch LPG air mix for the Kot Lakhpat Industrial area on experimental basis following its success; it would be spread to other areas as well.
About upcoming Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, the MD made it clear that it would not be fulfilling all our needs. Definitely we would have to rely on LNG to overcome the shortfall. He said that to ensure that the supply of gas to existing consumers a moratorium has been placed on industrial connection for one year while new housing societies would be asked to make LPG or other arrangements.
The MD said that a state-of-the-art and dedicated complaint center is being established soon to serve the industrial consumers round-the-clock. He said that work on all new avenues including Pak-Iran gas pipeline, LNG and gas explorations is in full swing to cater to 3400mmcf demand in next three to four years.
On the demand of LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, the MD directed the Sui gas officials to immediately reactivate LCCI-SNGPL Dispute Resolution Committee.
The LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, in his Welcome Address, raised the issue of low gas pressure and urged the MD SNGPL to ensure equal distribution of gas to all industrial sectors besides taking private sector, for being the main stakeholder on board, while evolving load-management plans as the shortage of natural gas has become the prime issue for the industries where natural gas is an essential input of the manufacturing process.
He said that presently there is a load management of three days in Punjab whereas it is not the case with other provinces. He said that this discrimination must be put to an end with immediate effect.
Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said that after a gap of three days when gas is made available, the pressure remains so low that in fact the industry ends up in losing another day.
The LCCI President said that this practice is so harmful for the industry that it is making goods manufactured in Punjab uncompetitive in other provinces.