Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Power Division (PD) has prepared 3 load-shedding scenarios from March 1, 2023 to September 2023, along with fuel needs and required funding in this period and placed the whole scheme at a highest level, local media reported on Friday.
The proposed load management plan is under 3 scenarios; 2-hours, 3-hours and 4-hours, depending on generation and availability of the needed funds. Ramazan will also start in the last week of March.
The load shedding will commence at a time when the government will raise electricity tariffs substantially by 3.39 rupees per unit under the garb of additional surcharge across the board along with QTAs and FCAs as per agreement with the International Monetary fund (IMF) and recovery of deferred bills from flood-affected consumers.
There are indications of differences between Pakistan and the IMF on the duration of additional surcharge on consumers.
Required money cover for load-shedding plan
Total money cover of 2.280 trillion rupees will be required for 2 hours’ load shedding; Rs 2.183 trillion for 3 hours; and Rs 2.106 trillion for 4 hours load shedding. Of this, CPPA-G will arrange 1.945 trillion rupees for 1 hour, Rs 1.874 trillion for 2 hours and Rs 1.821 trillion for 3 hours’ load shedding
For 2 to 3 and 4 hours’ load management, forex cover of 1.280 billion dollars will be required whereas 410 million dollars , 343 million dollars and 299 million dollars will be required for 2, 3 and 4 hours for import of coal. Cash cover of 175 billion rupees, 164 billion rupees and 142 billion rupees will be required for RFO for load management of 2 hours, 3 hours and 4 hours.
