LAHORE – Gas load-shedding continued in the city on Saturday despite that Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has closed down many CNG stations in different parts of Punjab. Moreover, citizens should get ready to face long hours of load shedding today, as Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) will repair grid stations and there will be no electricity from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm in the city suburbs including WAPDA Town, Johar Town, Iqbal Town, Sabzazar, Mughalpura, Tajpura, Shalamar, Shalamar Link Road and Multan Road among others, according to a LESCO press release issued on Saturday.
Gas supplies to the CNG stations also remained low yesterday. All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) official Abdullah Ghayas Paracha said the company on Friday, closed 350 CNG stations of Gujrat, Kharian and Gujranwala to provide relief to the domestic gas users, which still were gas-less.
Gas shortages remained prevalent especially in Mozang, Thokar Niaz Beg, Green Town and Township on Saturday. Meanwhile, the SNGPL states that the gas to the industrial sector of the Lahore zone including Sheikhupura and Sahiwal will be restored on Monday at 6:00 am.
NO GEYSERS YET NO GAS: Consumers complain that despite a change in weather; a rise in temperature and a decreased use of geysers and heaters, gas supplies remained suspended. “SNGPL excuses that use of heaters and geysers caused an increased gas demand and load shedding was required, but both of these are not being used still we are not getting gas,” said a consumer Ghulam Sarwar and alleged that SNGPL was catering to the industries instead of the domestic consumers.
LOCATING THE ACTUAL SHORTFALL: The electricity load-shedding of eight to 12 hours has already gripped the city, however Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) claims that no ‘extraordinary’ load shedding was being carried out.
There remains a clash in PEPCO figures and load shedding being carried out in the city. PEPCO claims that shortfall is only 2,421 megawatts while main cities are facing at least eight hours power closures and 12 hours in rural areas.
PEPCO sources said that considering the current shortfall, the power should be closed for a maximum of six hours. “How astonishing it is that PEPCO issues clarification about the shortfall being reported in media and keeps insisting that media is quoting wrong figures. If PEPCO is right in its claims then the amount of load shedding should decrease,” said a PEPCO source.
