The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has worked out 768,000 tons furnace oil requirements of Pepco''s thermal power stations and independent power producers (IPPs) for March and April, to be imported from different countries, official sources told Business Recorder.
As far as the requirements for the month of February 2009 are concerned, sources said that supplies to ''Gencos'' had been executed against the purchase order quantity during the first fortnight of February 2009 whereas in the same period deliveries to IPPs were executed against payments already made. Sources said that Muzaffargarh thermal power station''s requirement is 163,000 tons, Jamshoro, 45,000 tons; Faisalabad 18,000 tons, and Piran-e-Gaib 12,000 tons.
The requirement of AES Lalpir and Pakgin has been estimated at 120,000 tons, KEL, 21,000 tons, Saba, 24,000 tons, Hubaco, 225,000 tons, Kapco LSFO 120,000 tons and Kapco HSD 20,000 tons. Sources said that per day requirement of IPPs and Gencos is 25,600 tons, of which 103,000 tons would be supplied through Pakistan Railways, 365,000 tons by road, and 300,000 tons by pipeline.
PSO is of the view that Railway''s assurance is essential for providing sufficient fleet to move the required quantity. In this context, Pepco has been asked to impress upon Pakistan Railways for arrangement of adequate rolling stock for maximum lifting through tank wagons. From the data of recent months, the present total capacity of Railways for LSFO/HSFO movement to cater to the power sector fuel requirement is approximately 95000 tons per month. Sources said that IPPs have also been asked to make timely payment to PSO to avoid any interruption in supply.
The projected volume of TPS Muzaffargarh has been given based on the consumption pattern when the station is operated on full capacity with sizeable stock. Similarly, Jamshoro TPS requirement has to be rationalised in view of maximum consumption which has been recorded at 1100-1200 tons/day, whereas estimates are at 1500 tons/day.
"We feel confident that if availability of local product is ensured ,and the Railways provide the required fleet, PSO will make all-out efforts to meet the projected fuel oil requirements during the period under reference," sources quoted PSO General Manager Industrial Consumer as saying in a letter to Pepco Thermal General Manager.
On February 14, Pepco representatives had provided data sheet regarding furnace oil requirements of IPPs and Gencos for the period February 10, 2009 to April 30, 2009 for PSO''s review and comments,
"We are of the view that the furnace oil volumes are projected on higher side, without taking into consideration the logistics and operational issues, particularly jetty constraints, thus showing a significant variation in comparison to the actual upliftment by IPPs and Gencos in the corresponding period last year," sources said.