KARACHI, Sept 3: Amid a persisting power crisis in the city and a row over outstanding dues of suppliers of fuel and electricity against the KESC, the Sui Southern Gas Company began supplying 212 million cubic feet (MMCF) gas per day to the KESC’s Bin Qasim Thermal Power Plant on Tuesday.

This became possible after the planned annual maintenance job of the Bhit gas field was completed and the supply from the field restored on Sept 1, says a media release of the SSGC.

A spokesperson for the gas company stated that the KESC’s Site Gas Turbine, Korangi Gas Turbine, and Korangi Thermal Power Station were being provided 21, 14 and 38 MMCF gas per day, respectively. The supplies from the SSGC are still in excess than the KESC’s agreed quota.

According to the spokesperson, in February 2008, the utility had already informed the KESC authorities that the Sawan gas field being operated by M/s OMV Pakistan would also be shut down for ‘planned annual maintenance’ in October. As per the mutual agreement, the SSGC always keeps informed the KESC’s concerned authorities on all the ‘planned annual maintenance’ schedule of different gas fields well in advance to enable the KESC to arrange required supply of furnace oil for their Bin Qasim Thermal Power Plant.

On Wednesday the maximum shortfall of power supply faced by the KESC was 230MW while the BQTPS with its six generation units was producing 800MW. Earlier in the day, Unit 5 of the BQTPS came online and synchronised with the power generation system, but its thermal generation units have been working under-load and giving much low output than the desired maximum output of 1,160MW from the BQTPS. The Korangi thermal power plant gave 110MW while the Korangi gas turbines’ output was 34MW while the Defence Cogen desalination plant produced 77MW electricity. The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant has been out of action since Aug 22. The KESC authorities claimed that the load-shedding situation in the entire city had been normalised 15 minutes before Iftar. Around 7pm on Wednesday the shortfall of electricity was around 100MW. There were no reports of power-related untoward incident.

Meanwhile, KESC management trainee officers held a protest demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club, demanding employment as promised by the KESC management.

They said they were given six-month training as trainee officers. After that they were supposed to be inducted as assistant managers in the utility. But instead of giving them appointment letters, the new management showed them the door and their contract was cancelled.