About 80MW increase in power generation during the last 24 hours failed to change the demand and supply gap, compelling Pepco officials to cut sorry figure for the third consecutive day since the start of Ramazan with no clue as when the situation would reverse.
The domestic consumers were up in arms to protest against the false promises of Pepco regarding uninterrupted power supply during Sehr and Iftar. Traders in Larkana observed shutter down strike against load-shedding on the appeal of Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz. All major urban areas in the country were unhappy with the prevailing power situation during Sehr and Iftar, cursing Pepco authorities.
Power supply situation during the last 24 hours was not different from what it was a day earlier. Power generation registered a marginal increase of 81MW to 15,002MW from 14,921MW a day earlier. The demand also dropped marginally to 18,497MW against 18,519MW a day earlier. Power generation through hydel, thermal, IPPs and RPPs stood at 5,933MW, 1,882MW, 7,050MW and 137MW respectively. Meanwhile, power supply to the KESC remained 790MW.
It may be noted that parodies are becoming popular, carrying satire against the electricity availability in the country. An abnormal increase in demand during July - August 2011 against the corresponding period has made it impossible for power authorities to overcome the gap between demand and supply. Both President Asif Ali Zardari and Minister for Power, Syed Naveed Qamar had taken strong notice of the situation, directing Pepco authorities to mitigate the difference between their actions and words relating to the pledge of providing uninterrupted power supply during Sehr and Iftar.
Pepco authorities had conveyed the same to the CEOs of different Discos, clarifying loudly that the concerned CEO would be responsible for power breakdown during Sehr and Iftar in any Disco. However, this measure is proving meaningless despite the fact that power supply to the industrial sector has been denied to meet domestic demand.
Pepco authorities are still living in deception by hoping that situation would reverse with increase in thermal generation ahead, as payment to the PSO has been made in recent past. According to them, gas supply to the power generating units would also improve that would give rise to power generation. However, it is yet to see as how they would overcome the gap with meagre increase in power supply of about 100MW a day. Meeting the gap of 3,000MW in one go is looking impossible for power authorities.
Independent observers believe that no major breakthrough is possible without upgrading the transmission system. According to them, obsolete power infrastructure is proving fatal to the power supply system and situation would remain dismal during the rest of Ramazan as well.
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