*LAHORE: The energy crisis in Pakistan continues to deepen despite PrimeMinister Shehbaz Sharif’s strong directions to end loadshedding.*
According to power division sources, the electricity shortfall has widenedto 7.300 megawatts on Sunday.
The demand in the country for electricity has surged to 27,300 megawattsamid the sweltering weather conditions. The duration of unannouncedloadshedding nationwide also remained increased to 14 hours.
They added that hardly nationwide power production of 20,000MW, resultingin a shortfall of 7200 MW.
Currently, the country is obtaining 4,635 megawatts of electricity fromhydropower, 1,060 megawatts from thermal power plants and 9,677 from theIPPs, the well-placed sources said.
It is learnt that three major power companies have shut down 16 powerplants in Pakistan due to a non-supply of fuel.
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The Hub Power Company (HUBCO), Lalpir Power Limited and PakGen Power haveshut down 16 power plants – including Tarbela and Jamshoro – due tomismanagement in the supply of furnace oil.*BLISTERING HEATWAVE*
South Asia has been in the grip of an extreme heatwave since last month,with parts of Pakistan reaching a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius asofficials warned link of acute watershortages and a health threat.
Swathes of Pakistan and India have been smothered by high temperaturessince April in extreme weather that the World Meteorological Organisation(WMO) has warned is consistent with climate change
