Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) will reduce the load-sheddding hours in the urban areas to six hours and eight hours in the rural areas, Director General Pepco, Tahir Basharat Cheema, told Business Recorder here on Thursday.
He said, "Tarbela Hydal Power Houses have started producing 400 MW electricity this evening as 40,000 cusecs water is being released from the dam for sowing the vital winter Rabi crops, including wheat in the southern Punjab and Sindh province." 25,000 cusecs water is being discharged from Mangla dam for both power generation and irrigation purposes, he added.
Cheema said that a high powered five-member 'system operation committee' comprising senior Pepco officers has been formed to supervise and co-ordinate production and distribution of electricity in the country.
It may be added that load-shedding from Pepco up to 18 hours daily since October, 1 triggered widespread outcry and also forced hundreds of industrial units to close down across the country. There was more than 5,000 MW shortfall in the demand and supply of electricity due to annual closure of four Independent Power Producers (IPPs), less supply of gas to thermal power plants and shutdown of Tarbela hydal power houses.
Cheema further said as the Gas companies have started supply of 90 MMCFD gas to the power plants several IPP thermal power stations have started power production, which has reduced the day time shortfall to 1,900 MW and 2,500 MW during the night.
Four Independent Power Producer (IPPs) Hubco Power Plant (300MW), AES Power Plant (350MW),UchPower Plant(510MW), Fauji Kabirwala power Plant (75MW) which were closed for annual maintenance have also been operationalised. Moreover, Cheema sought domestic consumers co-operation to conserve energy for further reduction of load-shedding hours so that industrial and agriculture production could pick up and socio-economic activities gear up.
He said that Pepco could face difficulties in load management after December 20, when irrigation canals would be closed for annual cleansing and maintenance for a month and the national grid would be deprived of the hydal power. However, he said Pepco is making arrangements to meet the hydal power shortfall.
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