Islamabad (Web Desk): Minister for Power Division Khurram Dastgir on Wednesday said that all necessary arrangements have been finalised to cope with possible impacts of cyclone Biparjoy in coastal areas of the country.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said currently there was no power disruption in the country due to the cyclone.
However, they were fully prepared to cope with the effects of cyclone, he said.
Khurram said that in the wake of flash flood last year, our teams including National Transmission and Despatch Company NTDC) did exemplary job and restored power transmission system in record time in Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over high level meeting yesterday and took various decisions.
The minister said that he was going to Karachi along with Secretary Power Division today evening to personally monitor the entire situation.
He said that three senior officials of the ministry have also been deputed one each in Mirpur Khas, Karachi and Hyderabad to supervise the operation.
The minister said the cyclone Biparjoy has disrupted the R-LNG supply, causing a temporary reduction in RLNG-based power generation and a temporary increase in load-shedding.
He said five power distribution companies Gujranwala Electric Supply Company (GEPCO), Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO), and Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) have also activated to provide support to Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) for restoration of electricity in case of power disruption.
On directives of the prime minister, 2000 employees from the said DISCOs were being dispatched to the coastal areas to provide support to HESCO for power supply restoration in case of power suspension.
Some 280 teams from the DISCOs, 50 from SEPCO and 45 teams of HESCO would move to be likely affected coastal areas, he said.
Khurram said shipping to the Port Qasim RLNG terminals has stopped which also caused suspension of gas to K-Electric, Bahadar Shah and Bikki Power Plants. The consumers could face one hour additional power load-management for next four days (June 15-18 or 96 hours), he said.
He said that water discharge from Tarbela dam has also been enhanced to generate additional electricity. “ Power plants based on expensive fuel can also be run if we require,” he said.
Replying to a question, the minister said no major disruption from coal based power plant so far. However, he said that the cyclone could effect power transmission system in the coast areas.
Khurram Dastgir said the government has diverted gas to the power plants and K-Electric to minimize the possible power shortfall.
To another question, he said two to four hour maximum power load-shedding was being carried out in urban areas as per losses.
The minister said that some 5000 megawatts electricity has been added to the system from various projects including Thar coal, K-3 Nuclear and Hydel projects.