The official said that because of squally winds left behind by the cyclone, the 100mmcfd of LNG cargo could not have been berthed in LNG Terminal-1 on Monday.
A senior official has warned that more power loadshedding will plague the country in the coming days as the “very severe cyclone system” Biparjoy approaches Sindh’s coastal belt, according to media reports.
The official said that because of squally winds left behind by the cyclone, the 100mmcfd of LNG cargo could not have been berthed in LNG Terminal-1 on Monday.
The senior official cautioned that “if the situation persists, gas availability for the power sector will go low enough to declare a gas supply emergency.”
This will result in additional power loadshedding in a nation where there is already a 6000MW shortage.
The failure to properly berth the LNG cargo at Terminal-1 resulted in a reduction in the gas supply to the power sector from 690mmcfd to 600mmcfd. The LNG cargo, which is also on its way, may not arrive if it is not berthed today (Tuesday) and the cyclone winds continue to blow, resulting in a severe gas shortage for the power sector.
In addition, if the cyclone does not reach the Indian coast by June 14, another LNG cargo that is scheduled to arrive at LNG Terminal-2 may not be berthed.
In this case, depending on how long the cyclone’s severity persists, the intake of imported petrol may reach its lowest point of 100mmcfd.
The line pack is currently at 5000mmcfd, which is not enough for the nation’s consumption needs for two days.
Only 450mmcfd of system gas is available to the domestic sector in the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) system. Gas is already only provided to the domestic sector during mealtimes. There is no petrol left after 10:00 p.m.
When contacted, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) spokesman claimed that because its system is already short on imported gas, SSGC customers won’t be affected.
However, some Karachi powerhouses will be impacted by the imported intake, which varies between 75 and 150 mmcfd.
Depending on the demand, the domestic gas supply ranges from 550 mmcfd to 750 mmcfd. But there will be negative effects on the SNGPL system, he said.
Due to the dollar crisis, the government has decided to reduce its reliance on furnace oil imports for power generation and to continue using RLNG-based, coal-run, hydroelectric, and nuclear power plants instead.
The water releases from Tarbela and Mangla’s main dams, which change depending on the need for irrigation in the provinces, are what generate the electricity.
The official further explained that 1,410MW was not entering the system as a result of the Tarbela Dam’s ongoing construction work for the fourth and fifth extension power projects.
The Neelum-Jehlum Hydropower Project is also not in use, causing a 969 MW shortage in the system.
Additionally, the Tarbela Dam’s other power units are producing insufficient electricity due to construction problems and variations in the water release in response to provincial demands.
Line and recovery losses are also on the higher side in addition to this. As a result, increased generation also results in increased losses. The representative claimed that hydropower was not being used to its full potential because of some limitations.
Currently, power plants are operating between 13% and 64% above capacity, primarily due to the Rs 2.5 trillion circular debt.