Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) will reduce the daily load shedding by six hours from 1st November, Pepco General Manager Tahir Basharat Cheema told Business Recorder here on Sunday. He said that ongoing 10 to 12 hours daily load shedding will be considerably reduced to pre-Ramazan level during the next four days.
He said, "On the orders of President Asif Ali Zardari, gas companies have assured Pepco of supply of 90 MMCFD gas for its power plants. Besides, he said, Pepco will have additional hydel power due to increased outflows from Mangla dam from 8,000 to 25,000 cusecs and thermal power Muzaffargarh power stations will also start operating soon.
Talking about the basic reason for the severe load shedding in the country, he said that four independent power producers (IPPs), Hubco Power Plant (300MW), AES Power Plant (350MW), Uch Power Plant (510MW), Fauji Kabirwala Power Plant (75MW) were closed for annual maintenance and Pepco had to face 1,235MW power shortfall because of closure of these IPPs.
"The total availability of power, at present, is 9,500 MW against the demand of 14,500 MW which caused a short fall of 5,000 MW in supply and demand" he elaborated.
He said when the IPPs start production of 1,235 MW electricity in a couple of days the Pepco would be able to further reduce the duration of load management to the pre-Ramazan level from November 01, 2008. He said that in this regard, help of customers was sought for conservation of energy, which could result in reduction of demand leading to further reduction of power outages. He said that conservation was considered as a very important factor, as this would create an enabling atmosphere till such time that new power plants join in, whereby power deficits and ensuing load shedding would be banished by the end of 2009.
He said that the new power generation facilities would comprise of rental plants, IPPs, small hydel stations in the public sector, two combined cycle high efficiency power plants again in the public sector, fast track PPIB sponsored generation and wind power arranged by the AEDB. All these plants would be operational during the period 2008-10.
He said that 20.5 million customers of Pepco had been facilitated by the government to pay only 60 percent of their revised tariff bills from Monday without any late payment surcharge.
"In order that the customers do not face any problems, the field officers of the distribution companies would personally visit the banks to facilitate the customers" he added. He said that when the government takes a decision on the recommendations of the committee headed by Federal Minister for Water & Power Raja Pervez Ashraf, necessary adjustments would be made in the electricity bills receivable during the next month.