KARACHI, Jan 12: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has curtailed the gas supply to coastal power plant, KESC Bin Qasim, Wapda, Pakistan Steel and Fauji Fertilizer at Bin Qasim as a temporary measure and in order to overcome the current shortage because of the shutdown of the gas purification plant in Sui.

At the same time to ensure minimum disruption of supplies in Balochistan, which is presently facing harsh winter conditions, SSGC has taken urgent measures to arrange a reverse supply of gas to Quetta.

Out of the total amount of natural gas that SSGC distributes through its transmission and distribution system, nearly 110-120mmcfd (million cubic feet per day), comes from Sui.

That constitutes nearly 10 per cent of the total gas distributed in SSGC's franchise areas in Sindh and Balochistan. The remaining is supplied to the SSGC system from other gas fields in the area, a spokesman of the SSGC said on Wednesday.

The SSGC has advised its customers, particularly domestic customers in Sindh and Balochistan to adopt urgent and necessary measures to ensure the conservation of this vital energy source, he said.

Whilst the supply of gas from Sui is expected to return to normal soon, it is important to take these measures for the time being by taking simple but effective measures at home, such as turning off gas-burners after use, reducing the amount of gas consumed in water-heaters.