Wapda faces additional shortage of 600mw - Gas supply cut
By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Jan 17: The Water and Power Development Authority, already finding it hard to meet electricity demand because of persistent drought, is now facing additional shortage of 600 megawatts due to stoppage of gas supply to its generation units.
According to the statistics of Wapda, it suffered a shortage of around 1,000mw when the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) snapped supplies to power sector last week.
But it was able to recover 400mw when Roche, an independent power producer, converted generation units to diesel. But it is still facing a massive shortfall of 600mw. Though official position of the authority, under intense pressure from the ministry not to concede load shedding or shortfall, is that it is meeting 10,300mw demand.
But it has repeatedly failed to explain source of such a massive generation when releases from Mangla has hit zero and water from Tarbela restricted to 13,800 cusecs only.
Gas-driven units at Fauji, Kabirwala, Quetta, Faisalabad and Guddu have been closed down because of gas supplies. The authority, under instruction from ministry is also supplying 400mw to the Karachi Electric Supply Company, further worsening its own position.
"The authority has resigned to the reality of double pressure," says a former member (power) of Wapda. "It does not have water to produce power because of dangerous drought.
It cannot get extra power from IPPs because they have a limit. Gas supplies to its units have been snapped by the SNGPL. But it is under very strict instructions from the ministry to open its lips on load shedding or shortage issues.
It is already resorting to 'load management' in rural areas and cutting off supply to urban areas in the name of maintenance. This is in addition to regular breakdowns and shutdowns under different garbs," he said.
