KESC’s going to ruin your Pak-India cricket clash fun

Even though Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani directed the Water and Power Ministry on Saturday that there should be no power load shedding on Sunday (today) due to the Pakistan-India Asia Cup cricket match, the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) paid no heed to these instructions. According to a statement, the power utility notified that it will continue load shedding according to its schedule. On Saturday when commercial activities in the city came to a halt due to the traders’ strike against extortion, the KESC still subjected the citizens to six hours of power outages despite the decrease in load. According to sources, the KESC is only relying on gas for power generation and therefore eyeing a greater share of supply from the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). It is generating electricity through two units from the dual-fuelled six-unit Bin Qasim Thermal Power Plant. At least 300MW out of its capacity of 1,100MW is currently being generated, while the remaining four units of the plant are being kept shut.Two units of the newly installed plants at the site are also running on gas, making a contribution of around 230MW to the company’s supply system.