MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

ISLAMABAD: The country is facing shortfall of 6,000MW which implies generation was around 14MW against demand of 2,000MW due to which unscheduled load shedding was unleaded.

Well-informed sources told Business Recorder that thousands of feeders across the country were shut down. However, officials were hopeful that supply position will improve after Chashma nuclear plants are back in the system. Every Disco was facing a shortfall up to 600MW.

According a Power Division spokesperson supply to these power plants, i.e., C1, C2, C3 & C4 have been restored and the 220KV NTDC lines are energized.

However, the restoration of generation from these plants will take some time as a definite protocol has to be followed. As the latest information shared by the management of Chashnup, that C-1 and C-2 are expected to be back after evening today, whereas the status of C-3 and C-4 is not yet clear.

The spokesperson further stated that RLNG based power plants Havelli Bahadar Shah, Bhikki and Balloki (3600MW) are also under testing phases and generation from these plants is currently not available.

The hydel generation is also low as the water releases from reservoirs on provinces demand is low besides the new plants at Neelum Jhelum are still in testing phase.

Keeping in view unavoidable facts, the national grid is faces with temporary shortfall which is verifying with the variation of demand, especially during peak and off peak hours, the spokesperson added.

In order to keep the system safe and to bridge the demand and supply gap, few hours of temporary load management is being introduced in all Distribution companies. The introduction of load management by DISCOs is proportional to the feeders’ losses.

The consumers are being informed via SMS, local sub-divisional offices, Roshan Pakistan App and others means regarding the load management in their areas.

The Minister for Power Division, MOS Power Division, Secretary Power, NPCC and PEPCO teams are closely monitoring the situation and are in close contact with management of these plants.

The consumers will be immediately provided relief as soon as any plant starts generation. The Power Division will also post updated information regarding the situation, the spokesperson continued.

The Power Division has appealed to the consumers to adopt energy conservation practices during this temporary phase so that maximum consumers get lesser number of electricity interruptions.

The Federal Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari chaired a meeting today at 8:00 pm on matters relating to electricity situation in the country.

The Minister for Power Division directed that maximum efforts be made to provide relief to the consumers. He directed that the Category I feeders across the country be prioritized in terms of electricity supply and the temporary shortage of electricity due to tripping and testing of plants may be distributed in the other than category I feeders . The Category I feeders accounts for 61 percent of total feeders in the country.

The Minister further directed that no rural urban divide be observed in terms of category of feeders.

The Federal Minister also directed that the situation may be closely monitored and appreciated the PEPCO team led by its M D Musadiq Ahmed Khan for their round the clock monitoring of each and every feeder in the country.

The Federal Minister also directed that close coordination may be maintained with the power plants management to bring the generation online within shortest possible time.