Islamabad
The Supreme Court observed on Tuesday that the thermal power plants are producing electricity below their capacity and this could be the one of the reasons of severe loadshedding in the country.
The court noted, “There could be genuine problem but now it seemed the involvement of artificial factors, particularly the high inefficiency of the Pakistan Electric Power Company (Private) Limited (Pepco) and National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) Limited officials.”
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprised Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Gulzar Ahmed was hearing the suo moto case regarding the unprecedented loadshedding in the country.
The total capacity of Guddo Thermal Power Plants is 1650MW but presently it is producing 775MW, while the Jamshore thermal power plants have capacity to produce 1000MW but they are generating 300 MW. Muzafargarh plant capacity is 1,100 MW but presently it is producing only 475MW.
MD Pepco Zargham Ghulam Ishaq Khan informed the court that deration is due to the faults in the machines, adding now those parts have to be changed. He told the court that the technical audit of some of the thermal plants has been carried out and the machines shall be made functional to their full capacity.
The MD told that arrangements have been made for the supply of furnace oil to the plants, adding the natural gas would also be supplied to the companies so that maximum output could be gained.
Zargham Khan about the hydel said that 60 per cent to 70 per cent capacity of it has increased and presently this sector producing 3900MW. The generation capacity could further be increased if discharge from Tarbela, Mangla and glacier melting would rise further, he added.
Raziud Din Engineer and consultant to Pepco, appearing before the bench and expressed opinion that Pepco and the NTDC needed a full time managing director rather making makeshift arrangements. He said the Pepco and NTDC were capable to produce more electricity from the thermal plants and with the repair of machines the power production could further increase.
The bench adjourning the case for two weeks and said that they would appreciate if Razi extended his cooperation to MD Pepco.