More loadshedding as Pepco lacks contingency plan

KARACHI - The local administration of AES Lal Pir Thermal Power Station has been failed to protect its power installations from the devastating affects of recent inundation mainly due to lack of contingency plan to tackle any crisis-like situation, The Nation learnt.
The LalPir thermal power plants located at Mehmood Kot, Muzaffargarh, was closed down due to the raging floods coupled with administrations inability to effectively deal with the unfavourable conditions.
Sources told that some turbines of the plant have been closed which might cause extended load-shedding. Pakistan only produces about 80 per cent of the electricity it needs, leading to massive power outages and sparking summer protests against the government.
Sources said left with no other option but to close down the power stations due to the absence of any viable emergency plan by the administration, Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) closed eight units of Kot Addu power plant and two of Lal Pir thermal power plant in Muzaffargarh because of heavy floods in these areas. These power stations were generating 1600 megawatts power. Lal Pir thermal power plant was generating 700 megawatts power while Kot Addu plant was generating 900 megawatts of power.
Presently, only three units out of 12 are working and producing only 300 megawatts of electricity.
The closing down of heavy power generating plants in the affected areas of Punjab province has put a big question mark on the efficiency of Pepco, which has been proved itself incapable to manage with any type of catastrophic situation in an appropriate way, sources added.
It has been known that two turbines of the said plants are inactive by now which combining with twelve turbines of the Kot Addu power station produce 1600mw of electricity hence their closure has plunged the country further into energy crisis. Owing to this the adjoining areas have been without power for the last five days.
Despite hectic efforts undertaken by army and various departments it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep the flood waters away from important installations like LalPir thermal power station.
It may be mentioned here that the flood fears in Punjab have forced closure of two units of LalPir thermal power plant in district Muzaffargarh and eight units of Kot Addu Power Plant. The oil supply from Pak Arab Refinery has also been closed. A spokesman of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has said the possibility of flooding still prevails and the water can enter in power plants so as the power units have been closed. The closure will reduce the power generation by 1600 megawatts and will enhance the load shedding hours. The water of Muzaffargarh Canal has submerged the surrounding of Mehmood kot, so as the oil refinery has closed its supplies.
It is pertinent to mention here that the plant has gross power production capacity of 362MW. It uses production technology of oil-fired Turbine.