KARACHI: The residents of Karachi are suffering from prolonged power outages as the city’s power provider, K-Electric, blames it on a gas shortage.
Areas such as Lyari, Lines Area, Malir, Surjani Town, Korangi and New Karachi are facing power outages of approximately 12 hours. Similarly, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Golimar, Defence View’s Phase 1, DHA, Clifton, PECHS, Saadi Town, Gulshan-e-Maymar, New Karachi, Quaidabad, North Karachi, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Gulberg, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Malir Jaffar Tayar, Saudabad, Khokhrapar, Kharadar and Martin Quarters are also facing intermittent power shutdowns.
The Sanjhoro and Zargun gas fields are closed for annual maintenance and the amount of gas extracted from other fields is lower than usual. K-Electric says this has affected the amount of power it can produce.
The spokesperson says the utility is facing a 400 megawatt shortage right now. The production capacity at K-Electric’s Korangi and SITE power plants has been affected, the spokesperson added.
On the other hand, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC)has stressed that there is no gas load-shedding in its franchise areas. “Instead a low-pressure situation has been created due to diminishing gas supplies from different gas fields owned by E&P companies.
Currently, the SSGC faces a shortfall of 150 mmcfd gas as a result of which the company’s line pack system has been affected. The SSGC is therefore following the government’s gas load management plan whereby the company is giving first preference in the supply of gas to the domestic sector.” It is pertinent to note here that the Sinjhoro and Zarghun Gas Fields are undergoing Annual Turn Around (ATA) right now and a number of other gas fields too are injecting reduced gas into SSGC’s system. Hence there are complaints of low gas pressure from the customers.
The SSGC has asked the KE and other stakeholders, which seek gas from the company, to opt for alternative power generation options as the shortfall could double in winter up to 300 million cubic feet.
