AGL 40.10 Decreased By ▼ -0.90 (-2.2%)
AIRLINK 127.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.34 (-0.27%)
BOP 6.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-1.49%)
CNERGY 4.60 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (1.77%)
DCL 8.58 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.35%)
DFML 41.40 Increased By ▲ 0.31 (0.75%)
DGKC 86.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.63 (-0.72%)
FCCL 32.13 Decreased By ▼ -1.26 (-3.77%)
FFBL 65.40 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.02%)
FFL 10.27 Decreased By ▼ -0.20 (-1.91%)
HUBC 110.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.03%)
HUMNL 14.70 Decreased By ▼ -0.60 (-3.92%)
KEL 5.15 Increased By ▲ 0.17 (3.41%)
KOSM 7.15 Decreased By ▼ -0.28 (-3.77%)
MLCF 41.69 Decreased By ▼ -1.30 (-3.02%)
NBP 60.20 Decreased By ▼ -0.22 (-0.36%)
OGDC 194.48 Decreased By ▼ -3.16 (-1.6%)
PAEL 27.95 Decreased By ▼ -1.06 (-3.65%)
PIBTL 7.98 Decreased By ▼ -0.28 (-3.39%)
PPL 150.52 Decreased By ▼ -3.64 (-2.36%)
PRL 27.08 Increased By ▲ 2.08 (8.32%)
PTC 16.08 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.06%)
SEARL 78.20 Decreased By ▼ -0.25 (-0.32%)
TELE 7.42 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (0.68%)
TOMCL 35.70 Decreased By ▼ -0.39 (-1.08%)
TPLP 7.90 Decreased By ▼ -0.17 (-2.11%)
TREET 15.87 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-0.56%)
TRG 52.70 Decreased By ▼ -0.66 (-1.24%)
UNITY 26.65 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-0.22%)
WTL 1.28 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.79%)
BR100 9,920 Decreased By -52.1 (-0.52%)
BR30 30,751 Decreased By -346.3 (-1.11%)
KSE100 93,225 Decreased By -423.8 (-0.45%)
KSE30 28,885 Decreased By -132.9 (-0.46%)

The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is in serious trouble as the Ministry of Petroleum (MoP) has expressed inability to provide gas for its rented power projects, although according to agreement it is bound to pay $15 million every month as rent without getting even a single megawatt electricity.
Source said the Petroleum Ministry officials had conveyed to the task force on energy here the other day that Wapda had signed agreements with private sector rental companies for getting additional 285 MW power recently, assuming that it would be in a position to provide them gas on priority basis.
However, things are totally different now as, with additional demand of domestic sector with the change in weather, it is totally helpless to secure more gas for Wapda''s rental projects as long as the weather remains bitter and domestic sector requirement remains at peak.
The meeting was informed that as per policy, the government gives priority to the domestic sector for gas supply in winter season to help it beat the cold, which usually begins from mid-December and ends in mid-February. For this period, SSGC and SNGPL suspend gas supply to industrial and commercial consumers.
The task force had held a meeting to find some solution to the worsening power crisis. The meeting was attended by officials of the Ministries of Petroleum and Water and Power, Wapda, KESC, Pepco and other power and gas-related different government departments.
Wapda is facing huge power shortfall and, with each passing day, the gap in power demand and supply is on the rise. This situation has forced Wapda to go for massive load-shedding. The government is making efforts to save whatever power is possible and utilise it prudently and lessen intensity of load-shedding.
The task force was informed that load-shedding would continue for some more weeks as the system is facing a shortage of 4500 MW electricity. However, its duration might start decreasing from mid-January when situation of furnace oil supply to thermal power projects would improve.
Wapda has signed agreements with at least two companies for rented power projects, claiming that these projects would provide it additional 285 MW power on fast track basis. Since Wapda''s financial health in not very good, the payments for the rented projects without getting any power would doubtlessly add to its woes.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2008

Comments

Comments are closed.