Punjab-based textile industry: government fails to meet 135 megawatts power demand

The government has failed to meet 135MW electricity demand of Punjab-based textile mills on independent feeders, presently facing 10 hours a day load shedding. According to these mill owners, the number of power-dependent mills is not more than 55 mills across the Punjab but still the government is unable to meet a meagre demand of 135MW. Interestingly, the line losses of these mills are zero while they pay 100 percent electricity bills but still they have been forced to pay for the faults of other consumers.
Also, they said, the power tariff is exorbitant for them to survive and all their demands for a special tariff for Punjab-based textile mills have been falling on deaf ears of the National Tariff Commission. Meanwhile, the government is pursuing the textile millers to invest on coal-based power generation with an upfront tariff of 9.25 cents. The whole of the textile industry is not happy with the government for pressing to invest in power generation, either in the shape of Captive Power Plants or the coal-based generation. According to them, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure uninterrupted energy supply instead of asking them to first generate and then use to survive. It is neither affordable nor a corporate solution, they said.
The power-dependent textile millers have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the performance of the Ministry of Textile Industry. They said the Ministry is spineless to stand on its feet and make a demand for electricity for a total of 55 power-dependent textile mills.
A crisis-like situation has engulfed the electricity-dependent mills and they have started blaming the CPP-led mills to ignore their demand for energy. It may be noted the Supreme Court verdict regarding equal distribution of electricity among consumers also impacted negatively to the power-dependent mills, as the DISCOs immediately withdrew exemptions to the mills and distributed it equally among consumers. Resultantly, the apex court substituted equal distribution with equitable distribution but still the situation on ground remained unchanged, leading to closure of some 25 power-dependent mills till date.
The electricity-starved millers are also unhappy with the role of Minister for Water and Power Kh Muhammad Asif towards their efforts for survival. They said there is no cohesion between the Ministry of Water and Power and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources. Resultantly, all efforts of Chief Minister Punjab to get relief for the province are leading to abyss.
As a matter of fact, the tariff disparity between the gas-based CPPs and the electricity-dependent prime users has become a hard nut to crack. The cost of energy per unit for gas-based mills comes around Rs 6.5 against Rs 14 per unit for the electricity-dependent mills. This difference is widening gap between the two sides, as it seems that all efforts of power-dependent mills to survive are fit for defeat and they would soon enter into a last round of a lost battle if the government failed to respond, added the furious industry circles.