Hourly-based gas supply to the textile industry has proved a successful experiment so far, as the industry has taken a deep sigh of relief with 24/7 production activity. It may be noted that All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) had suggested the SNGPL as well as the Chief Minister Punjab to distribute gas supply to the mills on hourly-based instead of fixing it to specific days, ie three days a week.
Under the new arrangement, said Shahzad Ali Khan, Chairman APTMA Punjab also driving force behind the idea, the mills are getting 10 hours a day gas supply to keep production activity operational during the electricity load shedding. The textile industry is being exposed to 10 hours a day electricity loadshedding at present, which is likely to be reduced to six hours a day at the end of Ramazan.
APTMA leadership said that hourly-based gas supply to the Captive Power Plants (CPPs) is yet on experimental basis and all the mills have been advised to avoid violation of the agreement with the SNGPL for continuous supply of gas throughout the week. It is also worth noting that Group Leader APTMA Gohar Ejaz had made detailed presentation to the Chief Minister Punjab on the concept of hourly-based gas supply. The Chief Minister Punjab had liked the idea and directed the SNGPL MD Arif Hameed to implement it forthwith. Accordingly, the textile industry has started receiving 10 hours a day gas supply during the loadshedding of electricity.
However, the SNGPL is set to examine the impact of this experiment after completion of one week. Only then a final decision would be made on permanent continuity of it for the industry. Chairman APTMA Punjab Shahzad Ali Khan is of the view that this arrangement would support dwindling exports though the cost of each unit of electricity would be marginally on a higher end.
Meanwhile, the SNGPL sources have apprehended severe loadshedding for industry and the CNG sector in case no additional gas is imported and added to the system from Qatar or any other destination. They said the system faces a shortfall of 700MMCFD during summer that gets double to 1300MMCFD during winter, leading to heavy loadshedding for industry and the CNG sector.