The power generating capacity of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has reduced to over 50 percent, resulting massive power shortages in the city. According to sources with the shutdown of Bin Qasim Thermal Power Plant's (BQTPP) two electricity generating units, having the power generating capacity of 400 megawatts, the total electricity generation of the company has reduced to over 700MWs out of its estimated capacity of over 1400 MWs.
Gul Ahmed Energy Limited, an Independent Power Producer (IPP), having the power generating capacity of 125 MWs has also gone off for the lack of furnace oil, sources claimed. The Unit-1 of 200 MWs, was shutdown while unit-4, having the same power generating capacity, as the sources claimed, had not been run for the lack of furnace oil. The rest of units-2, 3, 5 and 6 were also being run with lower capacity as they were generating 160, 70, 160, 185 MWs respectively.
The rest of gas based power plants of the company were also supplying the less electricity for what, they said, the lower pressure of gas it received from the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). With the shortages of over 400 MWs, Karachiites are braving the unabated loadshedding for 7 to 8 hours across the city.
Despite of significant decrees in the demand of the city from 2400 MWs to around 1900 MWs the company failed to reduce the gap between demand and supply as it was supplying over 1500 MWs on Monday, they added. There was reports of 7 to 8 hours of power outages for four to five times in different areas of the metropolis like, Liaqatabad, Gulshan-e- Iqbal, Tariq Road, North Nazimabad, Korangi, PIB Colony, Gulistaan-e- Johar, Shah Faisal Coloney, Keamari, Sadar, etc , sources said.
However, the official sources in KESC said that the total demand of the City was at 1868 megawatts while the utility had been supplying 1655 MWs with a shortfall of 213 MWs. They claimed the deficit was due to the tripping of IPPs DCL and Gul Ahmed, which were expected to come back online by the evening. The tripping at Bin Qasim KCR Circuit had taken place at 3.30 pm and had been restored. Wapda had been supplying 630 MWs, IPP Kanupp 78 MWs, and other IPPs 103 MWs.
On the other hand the KESC high ups, in a media briefing, on Monday, has claimed that it has issued a 24-hour disconnection notice to the Police Department for payment of Rs 300 million outstanding amounts; and has sent final warning to four town administrations to pay otherwise power supply to street lights would be curtailed.
They said that this decision had been taken as a last resort as the outstanding amount was huge and there had been confirmed reports of illegal use of electricity in police employees' colonies. They further said the administrations of Faisal Town, Gulberg, Lyari and Malir had been sent final warnings to the effect that in case of non-payment, the street lights in those areas would either be curtailed after midnight or totally severed. He recalled that the 18 towns of the Metropolis owed KESC a huge amount of over Rs 1 billion.