With temperatures crossing 37 degrees centigrade and the revival of industrial and commercial activities, there has been a marked increase in electricity demand which recently peaked at 3400 MW. While K-Electric remains committed to serving its customers with safe and reliable power supply, the power utility is facing generation constraints on account of inconsistent fuel supplies. Both Furnace Oil and Gas supplies are below KE’s current demand, which will affect the power utility’s ability to maximise its generation capacity. Currently there is a daily shortfall of 800MTs of Furnace Oil, and nearly 14,000MTs of furnace oil orders remain unserved. Similarly, in view of the FO shortfall, an increased supply of gas is required to operate power plants optimally. KE depends on third-party suppliers for its fuel supply chain which is critical for powering Karachi and its surrounding areas. While K-Electric is fully cognizant of and grateful for the support provided by its fuel suppliers under the extremely difficult situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the power utility has also been highlighting the challenges that it is encountering to all relevant stakeholders for close to three weeks now so that these issues may be urgently resolved in the best interests of the people of Karachi. The power utility welcomes the immediate remedial measures taken by the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) to permit the import of furnace oil. This will enable KE and other IPPs to meet the sustained high demand for power over the next three months and will benefit the citizens of Karachi at a time when people are staying at home in order to comply with social distancing protocols.
