Gas supply to 200 industries suspended

Friday, Nov 28, 2008

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has suspended the gas supply to 200 industries of Punjab and NWFP due to increase in gas consumption.

SNGPL sources told that the company obtained 80 pc gas from the reservoirs of Sindh and Balochistan and supplied to Punjab and NWFP but further industries of these provinces would likely to face gas suspension as the company is suffering with a shortage of 250 million cubic feet gas in the winter season.

According to SNGPL sources, company supplies 1850 million cubic feet gas collectively to industrial and domestic consumers among which 650 mcf is supplied to industrial sector of Punjab and NWFP. ""However the gas supply during the current winter season has been lessened to 125 mcf due to increase in its consumption,"" they added.

Sources informed gas supply to domestic consumers was the first priority of the company and to achieve this goal, company could suspend gas supply to industries. ""In this concern, before gas supply, company signs an agreement with industries, according to which company would not be responsible of gas provision to industries for three months, while the industries are also directed to arrange their own gas facilities during that period, sources said.

While on the other hand, industrial consumers of Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura and Peshawar are perplexed due to suspension in gas supply and countrys industrial structure and production may also be affected due to gas suspension.