Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet has not approved the one-day a week gas load shedding plan for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations and industry and directed Ministry of Petroleum to seek its approval from Cabinet, senior official of Ministry of Petroleum said.
The meeting of ECC was held on Friday. "Petroleum Ministry will table the gas load management plan before next meeting of the cabinet," official maintained. Ministry of Petroleum had proposed to enforce one-day a week gas load shedding plan for CNG stations and industry during winter season under gas load management plan 2010-11. However, domestic consumers were proposed to be exempted from gas load shedding.
Gas production of the country during winter is projected over 4000 mmcfd against the demand of 5000 mmcfd during peak winter period. Increase in demand is mainly due to addition of five new power plants, which requires 202 mmcfd gas. Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Naveed Qamar in separate meetings with gas utilities SNGPL and SSGCL had discussed different options for the gas load management plan 2010-11.
Petroleum Ministry had mulled over the options of one-day and two days a week gas load shedding and agreed with gas utilities to follow one-day a week gas load shedding plan in winter season to cover the 1000 mmcfd gas shortfall.