With the rise in the hydel power
generation up to 1,200 MW in the wake of increase in water releases from 3,000 cusecs to
16,000 cusecs per day from the Tarbela dam on Friday, Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) received a jolt when Independent Power Producers (IPPs) warned of massive reduction in the thermal power
generation.
Two IPPs, Sepcol and Japan Energy, have zeroed their
electricity production. Likewise, Hub Power Company (Hubco) has also communicated to Wapda that it would close down its second unit of 300 MW from today (Saturday) while its one unit of 300 MW is already non-functional for the last four months.
The Chashma Nuclear Power Plant with capacity to generate 325 MW has already gone off for 12 days because of maintenance. According to an official at the Ministry of Water and Power, the two IPPs (Japan Energy and Sepcon) have become permanent headache for Wapda (Pepco), as they have failed to generate electricity as per the Implementation Agreement signed with them. He said it seems that two IPPs are only interested in materialising the capacity charges only as they have nothing to do with electricity generation. He said the authorities might soon take action against these two IPPs accordingly.
To a question, he said that the generation capacity of the Japan Energy and Sepcon stands at 110 MW and 120 MW, respectively, and they had now reduced it to zero level. He also disclosed that Hubco had intimated Wapda that it was going to close down another unit of 300 MWs from today (Saturday) whereas one unit of the same capacity was already non-functional for the last four months. This, along with the closure of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant, leaves Pepco with reduction of power generation of about 1,130 MW.
When contacted, Tahir Basharat Cheema, director general, energy management and conservation department, Wapda stated: "Pepco is still facing hard times, as the increase in hydel up to 1,200 MW in the evening loses its significance because of reduced electricity generation by IPPs. Right now, Pepco is getting 4,550 MW against the capacity of 5,800 MW and from today or tomorrow, Hubco will also reduce its generation by 300 MW by closing down one unit to 600 MW as its one unit is already non-functional for the last four months.
About hydel power increase, from 900 MW to 1,200 MW, Cheema maintained that the slight relief had been immediately passed on to the textile mills and their duration of load-shedding had been reduced by one hour. "Now their outage duration has been reduced by one hour from 5 pm to 9 pm."
About the steel units, Cheema said that they were now getting 10-hour power supply as against the previous 19 hours prior to the power crisis. Pepco had closed down all steel units for 15 days earlier this month.
Rana Khalid, the spokesman of Indus River System Authority (Irsa), said that water regulator had increased water release from Tarbela by 3,000 cusecs per day from 13,000 to 16,000 cusecs. However, the status quo of water release of 5,000 cusecs per day from Mangla reservoir still existed. This, he said, will be increased to 8,000 cusecs per day from January 28, as Punjab had placed its indent of 8,000 cusecs from Mangla dam.