With the extensive tripartite discussions and negotiations that took place at the Sindh Governor’s House on November 26 to find an immediate workable solution to resolve the pending electricity crisis, it was hoped that the industrial zones of Karachi would once again be exempted from power load shedding starting Monday, November 28, given the fact that the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) was to increase gas supply to the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to 180mmcfd. However, the SSGC increased only 20mmcfd supply to the metropolitan’s sole power generating utility, the KESC, bringing the total supply to 140mmcfd.
With a slight increase in gas supply, official sources said, the KESC reduced load shedding hours for industries from eight to four hours starting Tuesday. However, the domestic and commercial consumers in the city are still braving four to five hours of power load shedding.
According to a KESC statement, the electricity company has shared its position with all its stakeholders – that it has a power generation capacity of 600-700MW currently lying idle due to gas shortage. In other words, 700MW of power that could be produced and pumped into the system of the energy starved city is being held hostage to inadequate gas supply.
The SSGC has yet to honour its commitment that was signed and vetted at the Governor’s House in the presence of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Dr Asim Hussain. In the tripartite agreement signed by the KESC and SSGC, it was also agreed that gas supply to CNG stations and other sectors would be curtailed for at least two days a week so that gas supply could be utilised for power generation.
Moreover, the governor and the petroleum minister are to ensure that the provincial and federal governments paid Rs 15 billion owed by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to the KESC directly to the SSGC, and the finance minister is responsible for making the payment as per the implementation plan. It was decided that the KWSB and provincial government would ensure electricity dues are paid to the KESC on time. According to the agreement, the KESC would launch a crackdown on all defaulters without bias and it would not make any exceptions when it comes to power thieves and defaulters.
The KESC has stated that with the provision of 180mmcfd gas, not only would the industrial zones be once again exempted from load shedding, but the duration of power outages in residential and commercial areas would also be decreased. It is hoped that analysing the gravity of the situation, the SSGC would take swift action to fulfil its end of the commitment by ensuring the required gas supply to the KESC, so that the currently volatile power situation in the metropolis returns to normalcy.
