Extended loadshedding irks masses as power shortfall soars to 6,000MW

ISLAMABAD- The electricity shortfall once again soared to a staggering 6000 Mega Watt in the country consequently leading to extended load-shedding making it worse for heat-stricken masses.

The temperature in southern parts of the country rose to 46° C resulting in unscheduled load shedding of 12-16 hours. Reports from various parts of the country suggested 9-10 hours of load shedding in major urban centres and 12-18 hours in rural areas.

Officials in the Ministry of Water and Power said electricity demand reached close to 19,000MW on Monday while overall power supply was around 13,500MW, leaving a 5,500 MW gap that was filled through systematic closer of feeders to protect the system stability.

Sources in operation areas contradicted official statements and gauged the overall power generation to be around 12,700MW, with an estimated shortfall of 6,300MW.

'Around 10,000MW of electricity actually reached the consumers, after accounting for 6-7 per cent transformational and transmission losses and 17-18pc of distribution losses' sources added.

On the other hand, officials said the next 10 days are very crucial because of increasing demand of electricity owing to rising temperatures in big cities, the minimum contribution from hydropower plants and closure of some units for scheduled maintenance.

'A number of new and closed plants would start coming into the system, starting with 1,600-1,700MW pouring in from three plants within the next 10 days' said water and power officials.

This includes 525MW from Nandipur, 315MW from Chashma Nuclear and an expected injection of 760MW from the under-construction Bhikki plant. This will end the forced load shedding and the system would return to normal load management of 4-5 hours in urban and 6-8 hours in rural areas.

An addition of about 1,300MW from two units of Guddu and Sahiwal Power Plants is expected in the first week of May. One unit of Haveli Bahadur Shah will contribute 380MW in July and another two units of the same plant, as well as Sahiwal, will add 1,040MW in August, Dawn News reported.

Amid torrid weather conditions, social media buffs took out their frustration and lambasted the incumbent government as their tall claims to curtail energy crises proved false during the first month of summer season.

Twitterati also shared a tweet by Maryam Nawaz Sharif that harked back to March 2016, claiming that Pakistan would be having surplus energy by 2017 due to a new energy policy by prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

https://twitter.com/maryamnsharif/status/713457767990882305