ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: After the suspension of supply from Qadirpur gas field resulting in the disappearance of 1,100MW from the national grid, the government decided on Thursday to provide 20,800 tons of furnace oil to public and private sector power plants to reduce the shortfall.

The decision to provide alternative resources to generate maximum power from fuel-run plants was taken at a meeting of a secretaries’ committee on energy that was presided over by Secretary for Water and Power Zafar Mahmood.

According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Water and Power, the meeting decided that immediate steps would be taken to provide 5,600 tons of furnace oil to Kapco, 5,800 tons to the Muzaffargarh plant and 2,000 tons to Jamshoro. Another 7,400 tons of furnace oil will be provided to AES Lalpir, Pak-Gen, Saba, Sepcol, Atlas and Japan power companies.

Supply from the Qadirpur field has been suspended to Rosche, Fauji-Kabirwala, Altern and Engro power plants because of tripping of the gas field, resulting in reduction of 763MW in electricity supply.

Power generation of 400MW has been affected at Orient Power, Saif, Saphire and Halmore plants. Gas was temporarily provided to four IPPs whose generation had been affected.

The meeting decided that all possible measures would be taken to make the Qadirpur field operational at the earliest.

It also expressed the hope that the power situation would improve and people would get relief in the duration of load-shedding.