Electricity Load Shedding: Nepra summons heads of Power firms

Upset by intense electricity load shedding, the Regulatory Authority (Nepra) directed power generation companies’ heads to appear before the authority on Friday.

According to the statement, the power regulator noticed severe electricity load shedding due to the shutdown of power plants following the unavailability of fuel and technical issues.

Nepra said that power load-shedding was due to the closure of power plants, according to initial information.

The power regulator had also taken action against power distribution companies, including K Electric, and called a meeting on April 19 to seek an explanation regarding electricity load shedding.

Several power plants are shut down due to technical issues and the unavailability of fuel.

Several power plants, including Sahiwal coal-based plants, faced forced outages due to fuel shortages.

Due to a shortage of imported coal, the Sahiwal coal-fired power plant was also forced to shut down. On the other hand, coal prices have skyrocketed on the global market.

To avoid potentially unaffordable electricity bills, even India and China had to shut down several coal-fired power plants.

The Sahiwal coal-based power plant will likely come online on April 20, 2022.

In Pakistan, as many as four RLNG-based power plants were also down since December 2021 due to the unavailability of RLNG.

Reasons for load shedding

Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) had been unable to arrange LNG imports due to higher prices in the global market.

Rousch, Nandipur, FKPCL, and GTPS were among the LNG-based power plants that defaulted on their payments to Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL).

Furnace Oil Prices in Pakistan to touch Rs 172000 per metric ton Mark

As a result, since December 2021, the gas utility has cut off the gas supply to these power plants.

Jamshoro and Muzzafargarah also faced forced outages as they did not have furnace oil to run operations.

In Pakistan, the price of furnace oil has also increased. They had gone up to Rs 161000 per ton due to higher prices in the global market.

Due to technical issues, some companies have shut down power plants.

These plants included Engro Thar Coal, Port Qasim, Guddu 747, TPS Guddu, Muzafargrah, Engro Power, Kapco, Jamshoro, and Pak Gen Complex.