KARACHI, Dec 16: Citizens of Karachi have been experiencing unannounced load-shedding of up to six hours a day in spite of the fact that demand for electricity registers a significant drop in the winter months.

Sources told Dawn that the Karachi Electric Supply Company has been resorting to an avoidable shutdown of its generating units in order to save on fuel and has been simultaneously blaming its gas provider for a short supply.

The gas company has stoutly rejected the charge.

However, this flagrant violation of the terms of agreement – under which the KESC has been entrusted with the task of providing an uninterrupted supply of electricity to the consumers – has failed to cause the government to take the power company to task.

Analysts note that the government appears to be unconcerned about the reports of inflated electricity bills being issued to the people of Karachi despite the continuation of power cuts.

The sources said the KESC is failing to meet Karachi’s power demand of 1,600 megawatts. On Tuesday, it generated just 425 megawatts from the power plants in the Bin Qasim generation station, while the Water and Power Development Authority provided 600 megawatts. Some power was also provided by the two independent power producers and the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant, but the utility was still short by 230 megawatts.

According to an informed source, Units 2, 3 and 4 were shut down at the Bin Qasim generation station. Unit 1 was generating 80 megawatts, while Units 5 and 6 were generating 195 megawatts and 150 megawatts, respectively. Despite a drop in demand due to the onset of winter, the KESC was still unable to meet the needs of consumers.

Meanwhile, Tahir Basharat Cheema of the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) claimed that despite the fact that KESC has Rs75 billion in outstanding dues, PEPCO has not issued any notice of final payment, and is continuing to supply it with 600-800 megawatts through the national grid.

Mr Cheema said the outstanding dues have been accumulating since October 2007. He mentioned that the new KESC management had paid approximately Rs1 billion so far in a bid to clear its outstanding dues with Wapda and its subsidiaries.

“It is the sole prerogative of the government to issue any such notice, as PEPCO on its own cannot issue warning notices to the KESC. I think a committee constituted by the federal government should look into the issue of electricity dues and give its recommendations to the authorities concerned for resolution of the matter in an amicable manner,” he said.

Meanwhile, the KESC management has announced the introduction of a ‘facilitation desk’ service, to be set up at offices of various trade and industry associations in the city.