Caretaker Water and Power Minister Dr Musadik Malik on Sunday admitted failure in resolving energy crisis and warned that load shedding will worsen in the coming days as overall circular debt surged to Rs 700 billion. He was talking to reporters here at Wapda House on the sideline of a meeting held to discuss power crisis in the country. He was accompanied by Petroleum Minister Sohail Wajahat.
Top management of all power distribution and generation companies attended the session. Dr Musadik Malik said that the daily fuel availability for thermal power generation had declined to 10,000 tons while the gas supply dipped by 75 million cubic feet per day, resulting in a steep reduction in power generation.
He admitted that the current shortfall of electricity was 5,000 megawatts.
He said a meeting had been convened by the caretaker Prime Minister in Islamabad on Monday (today) to devise a solution to overcome power shortage.
He hoped that the power supply situation might improve in two or three days. However, he said, owing to annual turnaround of Qadirpur gas field, the power generation could be affected badly in a week when power demand would also be high. In the absence of required fuel supply, reduction in gas quota for power sector would be an unwelcome step and might result in severe power supply deficit.
Caretaker Water and Power Minister also blamed the Ministry of Petroleum and Finance for not releasing funds and fuel for the power sector. However, he also acknowledged, albeit reluctantly, that shortcoming in revenue generation by power distribution companies was also affecting power generation. He said Rs 75 billion is annually being added into circular debt because of inefficient use of available power generation options.
He also admitted that the present power crisis was also an outcome of mismanagement and bad governance. "We have removed chiefs of National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) and National Power Control Center (NPCC) because o f negligence and mismanagement," he maintained.
He claimed that this decision was taken to ensure implementation of uniform and prudent load management plan across the country. He claimed that equitable power distribution was being made in Punjab and elsewhere in the country.
He made it clear that power generation could not be increased beyond 14,000MW because of various constraints. "We must accept...that power generation can be enhanced to 14,000MW except for six weeks of summer."
Petroleum Minister Sohail Wajahat warned that the fuel supply chain could be broken because of non-payment of dues. "Once this chain is broken, there will be an unbearable gap of one-and-a-half month before fuel supply is restored."
He said his ministry made possible availability of 150mmcfd gas for the power sector for five weeks, which "is a tremendous achievement". However, he expressed inability to boost fuel supply for power generation, citing severe financial constraints. "You cannot run anything without money. There is a limit...outstanding dues of fuel are enormous." He said payables of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) alone stood at Rs 60 billion.
He said that to supplement power supplies, dedicated supply of gas for Guddu and Liberty Power should be used to augment power generation. "Otherwise, power generation can be affected adversely."
He said an increase in gas tariff for all consumer categories "is inevitable". He said gas tariff would be increased in the next few days. However, he said, increase in gas tariff would be gradual.
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