The shopkeepers and the administration were on the warpath as the former refused to obey the federal government directive to close shops at 8pm in the metropolis for making the countrywide load management plan a success.
On the first day of the government directive that encompasses the whole country to overcome power shortage, the commercial centres in Karachi remained opened till 10pm on Monday.
Sources told Business Recorder that the commercial centres and shopkeepers were of the view that the peak hours for shopping starts at 6pm then how can we close our business for just after 2 hours, they argued. A survey of the major commercial centres revealed that the shop owners seemed reluctant to follow the government instructions as the mercury has been constantly on the rise, forcing people to stay indoors in the daytime. "This is indeed a very difficult situation where we are in complete disarray and facing hardships following this directive," said a leading merchant. "We are fighting for our survival," commented another.
The government must have utilised other options to save energy. There should have been a comprehensive segment-wise plan to avert loadshedding, traders said.
Meanwhile, the situation has compelled the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) to opt for group-wise loadshedding of over one hour in the metropolis, the source added.
The city is facing about 220MW of power shortage as the peak hour demand touched 2330MW and if the commercial centres to be closed at 8pm, it would help in saving of 70 to 80MW of electricity and definitely lessen the hardship of consumers in the ongoing hot season, the source pointed out.
The Korangi Gas Turbine is generating 68MW, SITE Gas Turbine is supply 54MW, and Korangi Thermal is producing 110MW. The Bin Qasim Power Plant is generating 965MW, while IPPs is supplying 225. The Wapda is supplying around 700MW and the Kannup suspended power supply, which was producing 65MW. The corporation is expecting power demand during hot summer in between 2300 to 2400MW. Moreover, the KESC is going to energise 40MVA Mauripur Grid station on Tuesday that would ease the overloading in thickly populous localities of the metropolis.
The power utility (KESC) completed work on a transmission line of 132KVA Liaquatabad-Haroonabad to avoid overloading in its distribution network in large population areas. The areas would be benefited from this development are Liaquatabad, Haroonabad, Azizabad, Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and partially Gulistan-e-Jauhar.