Power shortfall now 6,000MW as plants face fuel shortage

LAHORE: Electricity shortfall in the country has reached 6,000 MW after power plants face a supply shortage of oil and gas, resulting in up to 12 hours of loadshedding nationwide.
According to a media report, the overall demand for electricity has reached 25,500 MW against the availability of 18,700 MW resulting in a shortfall of 6,000 MW. “The shortfall has resulted in six hours of loadshedding in urban centres and 12 hours of power outages in rural areas,” the report said.
They further said that the LESCO is facing a shortfall of 600 MW, causing up to four hours of load-shedding. “DISCOs have not shared any schedule for any power outage,” they said. The sources shared that lack of fuel and gas supply to the power plants have resulted in the shortfall and once it will be overcome, the situation will improve.
South Asia has been in the grip of an extreme heatwave since last month, with parts of Pakistan reaching a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius as officials warned of acute water shortages and a health threat. Swathes of Pakistan and India have been smothered by high temperatures since April in extreme weather that the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned is consistent with climate change.
A day earlier, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Registrar Raja Qaisar Ahmed on Saturday requested Iesco to exempt the university from loadshedding as it was disturbing its research activities.
Raja Qaisar Ahmed in a tweet said: “Quaid-i-Azam University has written a letter to Iesco Official, requesting him to exempt the university from loadshedding. The academic, research activity and lab operations of the premier varsity are adversely impacted in the backdrop of ongoing loadshedding.”
The QAU director also wrote a letter to Iesco in which he said since QAU was an academic and research institution and a top ranked university of Pakistan, the loadshedding is disturbing its academic activities. “This distinctive position of the university is due to outstanding achievement and performance in academic and research fields. In achieving this high ranking globally, your [Iesco] departmental support and cooperation in providing smooth electricity has always played an essential role,” read the letter. – TLTP