Loadshedding increases by 1 hour despite 'targets achieved'

LAHORE - All the eight electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) of Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) have added unannounced one hour loadshedding to the existent 9 to 10 hour loadshedding despite the claims of achieving National Energy Conservation plan targets.
The DISCOs have adopted a novel way of increasing 10 minutes in the existing one-hour load-shedding of 9 to 10 intervals in a day following the power shortage in the sizzling weather, the PEPCO sources confirmed.
They said that the electricity shortfall touched the 4300 MW Wednesday despite the claim of saving 700 MW, forcing the DISCOs to observe more than 11hours. The rural areas were hit hard by facing more intervals of power cut-off, bearing the brunt for the utility's inefficiency, which has shifted the blame on the curtailment in water releases from dams and reduced gas supplies to PEPCO's power stations.
The sources said that the PEPCO management had been misguiding Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf that the utility was able to save 700 MW by launching the National Energy Conservation Plan. Daylight hour saving was the integral part of the said plan.
On the other hand, the PEPCO spokesman had termed the daylight saving as 'a real bonanza' through reduction in the daytime consumption by 200 MW. The sources said that the PEPCO had sent the Sunday data to the minister indicating that a dip in demand of about 400 MW had been recorded between 09:00 PM to 12:00 PM with the hope that the main markets of Lahore and lslamabad would be 100 per cent closed.
Talking about the staggering of Industrial holidays, the sources said that was never been accepted by the industry. However, fictitious figure of saving about 100 MW was being forwarded to the minister, who was beating his own drum backed by the fabricated figures being provided by the PEPCO, saying the full potential of this measure was about 300 MW, which might never achieve, the sources added.