Karachi may face severe gas, electricity load shedding during winter: sources

KARACHI: Gas and electricity crisis may worsen during the upcoming winter season in Karachi and other parts of the Sindh province due to acute shortage of gas, ARY NEWS reported on Sunday citing sources.

According to sources, the gas load shedding would witness a surge during the upcoming winter season in the province that could possibly face a shortage of 300mmcfd.

“Even K-Electric could face a shortage in the gas supply during the winter season,” the sources said adding that the sole power company in Karachi would need to repair its generation plants using furnace oil ahead of the winter season to avoid any shortfall in electricity production.

It is pertinent to mention here that on September 18, K Electric wrote a letter to the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) calling on them to raise the gas supply and pressure to former’s plants.

The KE spokesperson said that the letter addressed to SSGS was intended to appeal for consistent gas supply and pressure for the power plants to run smoothly.

Due to the low and erratic gas pressure, KE said, the power production has plunged 250 to 300 megawatts. It detailed that three of its power plants received lesser energy than required, which results in the drop in energy generation.

K-Electric said that it was ready to deliberate and negotiate over the quantity and pressure of the gas, however, added that until the deliberations, it is looking forward to receiving the gas supply it demanded now.