Power shortfall in the city has risen to an abnormal level of 5,000MW, intensifying the crisis in the country at large as duration of unannounced load shedding has gone through the roof. Load shedding duration has jumped to eight to 10 hours in urban and 16 hours in rural areas. Power distribution companies are looking helpless with no solution to control the shortage in the near sight.
Weak financial status of distribution companies and non-availability of gas and water have caused reduction in power generation to 11,090MW against a demand of 15,977MW, widening the gap to 5,000MW. Sources revealed that Faisalabad, Hubco, Kot Addu and a few IPPs have closed their operations due to non-availability of gas. Even the supply to textile industry has been reduced considerably, sending alarm bells among the spinners and weavers.
A Pepco spokesman has expressed hope that situation would improve with quantitative increase of gas supply to the power generation companies. Power generation through hydel remained 4,450MW, followed by 1,816MW through thermal, 4,762MW through IPPs and 62MW through RPPs. Electricity supply to KESC remained 680MW.