Electricity Crisis In Karachi Due To Karachi Electric’s Low Power Production
Electricity Crisis In Karachi Due To Karachi Electric’s Low Power Production: K-Electric is under the allegation of not utilizing electricity generation capacities for remerging power crisis in Karachi. National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has decided to initiate legal proceedings against the KE for mainly relying on single fuel. KE is only depending on gas for its two power plants, while not authorizing them on alternate sources of fuel or diesel despite having infrastructure.
KE is receiving around 50 to 60 million metric cubic feet/day (mmcfd) less gas as compared to April 2017 and the situation has worsened due to increase in power demand due to early arrival of summer.
NEPRA committee comprising of 5 members visited K-Electric to investigate the unexpected power outage due to restriction of gas supply by Sui Southern Gas Company to KE and as a result people of Karachi are in distress.
As per NEPRA findings Karachi Electric has infrastructure for alternate fuel and high speed diesel for its gas-based power plants:
- Korangi Combined Cycle Power Plant with 225 megawatts of generation capacity
- Bin Qasim Power Station-II with 529 megawatts of production capacity.
- Average loading position of BQPS-I was only 647MW as against the available capacity of 1,015MW.
If KE allows the plants to operate other than gas, around 350MW can added and additional load shedding can be avoided.
NEPRA stated that KE network experienced faults adding to the unplanned load-shedding hours due to its weak distribution system, although the body acknowledged power outage on account of gas restriction.
Power Management Plan During Ramazan From K-Electric
NEPRA wants to obtain power management plan during Ramazan from K-Electric in order to ensure uninterrupted power supply during Sehar and Iftar timings. K-Electric over unscheduled electricity load-shedding in Karachi will have to face legal action.
Reason of Long Hours of No Electricity
- The primary cause of load-shedding in Karachi is that power plants are not operating on oil.
- The incomplete repair and maintenance of the K-Electric power plants had also resulted in the power outages.
Karachi Electric stated that it was only receiving 90MMCFD gas supplies despite the Sindh High Court’s directives to Sui Southern Gas Company to provide 276MMCFD gas supplies.
Recently, KE hinted that load-shedding would continue even during Sehr and Iftar in Ramazan, unlike earlier promises when it claimed of providing uninterrupted power supply at least at the two times of the fasting days.
To resolve the power shortage issue the authorities have decided to issue an advisory to the Ministry of Energy, which will recommend provision of gas to K-Electric the sole power supplier in Karachi.
Lets hope for the best.
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