Some 2500MW thermal generation capacity in the country is out of operation at present, speaking a lot about the mismanagement of the ministry of water & power. Interestingly, the Punjab-based textile industry demand for electricity is half than the idle capacity, which is operating partially or facing complete shut downs in some cases due to energy shortage.
It may further be noted that the Punjab-based textile industry is a major contributor to the power sector revenue with minimum line losses against the domestic consumers. According to reliable sources, the thermal generation power plants are facing partial forced closures due to the circular debt on one hand and the management issues on the other. Those closed down included Jamshoro (350MW), Guddu (730MW), Kapco (494MW), Sepcol (110MW), Japan Power (107MW) and Halmore (104MW), Saba Power (126MW) and Japan Power (107MW). There are a few more power plants with idle capacities, causing power shortage in the country.
At present, the ministry is observing four-hour loadshedding a day for domestic consumers and 10-hour loadshedding a day for industrial consumers. This situation is lingering since early July when the ministry prioritised domestic consumers for power supply due to Holy Month of Ramadan. It was a general impression that the power supply to the industrial consumers would be improved right after Eid. The government had also conveyed the same to the industry time and again during interactions with the industry.
However, sudden rise in political temperature of the country with long marches of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehrik put the cart before the horse and the government denied improvement is power supply to the textile industry in Punjab.
Resultantly, the textile industry has faced a very difficult situation throughout the months of July and August having no clue as when the government would be in a position to revise its priority plan on power supply. Reliable sources said the ministry had assured the textile industry of revisiting the situation by August 20 and power supply would be improved accordingly. However, no such development seems to take place keeping in view the lingering political crisis in Islamabad.
However, the industrial circles are of the view that total demand for electricity of textile industry in Punjab is not more than 1000MW whereas about 2500MW power generation capacity is idle simply because of mismanagement of the authorities concerned. The industry circles have expressed the hope that the ministry would ensure required quantity of electricity to the Punjab-based textile industry, as there was no subsidy on the supply to the industry consumers against the domestic consumers getting a minimum of one rupee to maximum Rs 5 subsidy at present.
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