Pakistan's Fuel Scarcity and Unpaid Bills Shutter 12 Power Plants

Pakistan’s endemic power crisis has reached a new level, with ongoing fuel scarcities and unpaid bills leading to the temporary closure of 12 of the country’s power plants.

During the dispute over unpaid bills and oil fuel shortages several power plants have discontinued supplying electricity to Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) while Sui Northern systems has also been beset by technical problems, resulting in the shutdown of five power plants.

Independent power producers (IPPs) have stopped providing power to PEPCO due to its failure to pay its bills in a timely manner, a problem exacerbated by shortages of oil and natural gas needed to power the plants, resulting in the shutdown of five power plants that were collectively producing 1,450 megawatts of electricity, Geo News reported.

Pakistan’s electricity shortage has now reached 4,760 megawatts, as the country’s power plants are currently generating 13,240 megawatts while demand is 18,000 megawatts.

In Lahore, the city is now facing a daily power outages of 10-12 hours while in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, the blackouts now extend up to 10 hours, with power cuts also producing acute water shortages. In the rural countryside the situation is even worse, with blackouts now lasting up to 16 hours a day.

By. Joao Peixe, Deputy Editor OilPrice.com