ISLAMABAD: The suspension of RLNG to the CNG stations situated in Pothohar region and the Punjab continued on Monday. The CNG supply to Pothohar region and Punjab has been suspended on December 28, 2020, in emergency to meet the growing demand of gas for domestic consumers after fall in temperature.
The CNG Association termed the decision for suspension of RLNG, unjust, which had affected their businesses, and also vehicles, especially public transport vehicles running on the RLNG.
Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, chairman All Pakistan CNG Association told Business Recorder that CNG consumes only three percent of the total supply of gas. The LNG to CNG stations suspended could not address the shortage of gas and low pressure complaints, he added.
An official of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd (SNGPL) said that the decision to suspend gas supply was taken at temporary basis owing to the current situation. Supply to the CNG sector will be restored as soon as the situation gets normal, he added.
The SNGPL has resorted to suspension of gas supply due to reduced system pack, which is hampering smooth operation of the system.
In order to ensure system integrity and continuous supply to high-priority domestic sector, it has been decided to suspend gas supply of the CNG sector.
In the first week of December, the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) was informed that the country is likely to face gas shortage from for one month (December 20 to January 21) during the current winter as the demand supply gap may surpass 2 BCFD.
The federal government had announced that it would disconnect gas supply to the CNG, followed by captive power plants of non-export sectors, and then general industry, in case of gas shortfall in winter. Under the load management plan, the gas supply, in case of shortage, would be disconnected first of all to the CNG sector then non-export captive plants, and followed by general industry.
The export industries would come as the last option in case of extreme gas shortage but added that such a situation may not come except during December 20 to January 10, it was decided.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021