LAHORE, Aug 29: Karachi braved another day of relentless loadshedding. on Friday as the KESC faced a shortfall of 480MW. Every residential and commercial area of the city came under at least four spells of loadshedding lasting about 150 minutes each.

No respite was in sight in other parts of the country, too. The ministry of power and Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) made conflicting claims about the depth of crisis.

With one generation unit of the Bin Qasim thermal station out of order, the KESC was able to produce only 680MW, instead of 1160MW.

The unit 4 of the Korangi thermal plant is still out of order while there has been no power supply from the Korangi gas turbines for a couple of days.

The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant has contributed nothing since Aug 22.

Transmission problems have also forced power utilities across the country to carry out prolonged loadshedding.

Pepco claimed that the deficit had come down by 700MW to 3,800MW because of a partial resumption of gas supply, whereas the ministry said the deficit ranged between 5,500MW and 6,000MW.

Ministry sources disputed a claim by the gas company that the Zamzama field had started working at full capacity on Thursday midnight.

The fall in hydel generation has not helped matters. The contribution has come down to 5,500MW — a deficit of 1,100MW.

Independent power producers (IPPs) are generating 4,400MW — 400MW below capacity — and Pepco’s own thermal generation stands at 2,000MW, down from 2,900MW.

An official said that due to supply problems, gas turbine and steel power stations at Faisalabad had suspended production. Muzaffargarh, Kapco and rental power plants were also hit by gas shortage.

Although partial gas supply was restored on Thursday, it was suspended in the afternoon because of a drop in pressure, he added.

Abdur Rashid Lone, managing director of the SNGPL, contested the ministry version, insisting that the Zamzama gas field had come online on Thursday midnight and the company was supplying around 380 million cubic feet of gas to the power sector.

He claimed that Muzaffargarh power plant was getting 80mmcf (million cubic feet), Kapco 47mmcf and Rental Power 50mmcf. In addition to that three IPPs were also getting uninterrupted supply of 150mmcf. It all adds up to 385mmcf.

“No doubt gas supply to the power sector is falling because of rising domestic consumption, but the company is not under any obligation to provide gas to these units. It is providing whatever is extra, which unfortunately is decreasing by the day,” he added.

He said the SNGPL had the online distribution system which reflected supply to individual plants and showed graphic presentation of each minute, adding that the company could not be blamed for power crisis in the country.