Due to change of weather and fall of mercury in the second week of October in most parts of the country, the electricity consumption has dipped to 13954 MW, by more than 2000 MW. But there is still a shortfall of 2190 MW, which is being managed by carrying out 4 to 6 hours daily load shedding in the cities.
The power situation data released by the Ministry of Water and Power on Monday says that the total generation (hydel and thermal ) is 11764 MW against the demand of 13954 MW and gap between demand and supply is 2190 MW. In Lahore and other cities of Punjab the minimum temperature remained around 17 to 20 celsius against maximum temperature of 34 to 36 selsius that has enabled the middle class people to stop use of air-conditioners and splits and save their hard earned money for other compelling needs.
Meanwhile, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has drastically reduced the additional water releases into Indus and Jhelum rivers from the Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs, respectively that may ultimately impact the hydel power generation which is more than 6000 MW.
Irsa released about 18,000 cusecs additional water into Indus River from the Tarbela reservoir to augment the water flow to the level of 63,000 cusecs and 17,000 cusecs in the Jhelum River downstream Mangla dam to take the river flow to the level of 25,000 cusecs for power generation and irrigation purposes.
It may be added that Irsa has agreed to a demand of the provinces to continue these additional discharges from the reservoirs till middle of this month to irrigate the Kharif crops; rice, sugarcane and cotton that are at maturity and harvesting stage. Irsa will announce a new schedule of water releases from the dams impacting the hydel power generation capacity after October 15, 2009.
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