The News reported that the Karachi Electric Supply Company would restore to scheduled power outages of up to 10 hour a day in industrial areas from Friday, saying that the supply cuts would continue till the supply of furnace oil is improved.

Mr Abdul Wahab Lakhani chairman of SITE Association of Industry said that KESC management has informed the Association that it would resort to 10 hour a day electricity supply cut due to furnace oil shortage and these power outages would continue till the oil availability improved. KESC gets furnace oil from Pakistan State Oil on subsidized rates equivalent to the natural gas price.

Mr Muhammad Irfan chairman of FB Area Association of Trade & Industry also reported the receiving message of power supply cuts from Karachi Electric Supply Company for his area. KESC has announced outages for eight hours into two equal spells in a day for his area, saying that KESC would improve supply of electricity with the improvement in supply of furnace oil to it.

Mr Syed Johar Ali Qandhari chairman of Korangi Association of Trade & Industry said that he has received a message from KESC for 4 hour power cuts but it was only for a day.

Mr Lakhani said that although Karachi Electric Supply Company was claiming that the power outages were due to furnace oil shortage, the ground realities were different.

He said that Karachi Electric Supply Company has huge supply of furnace, but does not want to use it for power generation purposes and is saving the money. In the recent past the Karachi Electric Supply Company was supplied the oil through timely intervention of the Governor Sindh.

(Sourced from the News)