- A 50% cutoff replaces a complete disconnection during the peak winter months.
- GSA Clause 1 invoked for supply on “as available” basis.
- Industries are encouraged to maintain double shot agreements.
KARACHI: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has announced a 50% reduction in gas supply for captive power generation from January 1 to 31, 2025, citing severe shortages caused by dwindling reserves, News reported.
In a notice to industry associations on Monday, the gas utility highlighted the critical shortfall in local gas supplies.
As per the priority order of the Ministry of Power, winter demand of domestic consumers, especially in Balochistan, will be given priority.
SSGC said the gas reduction is in line with clause 1 of the “Gas Supply Agreement for Power Generation” (GSA), which states that gas is supplied “as available”. The clause also requires consumers to maintain dual supply arrangements to mitigate production losses in the event of a supply shortage.
The contract further specifies that gas supply is generally available from March to November, with disconnections during the peak winter months of December to February. However, instead of a complete disconnection this year, SSGC opted for a 50% cut in January to balance domestic sector supply.
The utility urged industrial consumers to cooperate and understand the need for these measures, emphasizing the importance of ensuring uninterrupted gas supply to residential customers during the winter season.
Last week, on December 27, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered that uninterrupted gas supply to households should be ensured immediately.
Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed that the supply of gas to domestic consumers remains the top priority of the government.
Chairing a meeting held in Islamabad to review the gas supply situation across the country, the Prime Minister, taking notice of complaints from domestic consumers, ordered to permanently resolve the problem of gas supply shortage by bringing reforms in the structure of the system.
“Providing gas to domestic consumers is the government’s top priority,” the Prime Minister said.
During the briefing it was informed that there was a surplus of RLNG (Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas) in the system, which led to improvements in gas load management compared to last year .
It was stated in the meeting that the duration of gas load shedding this year was shorter than last year.
Gas is supplied to domestic consumers from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., while gas is also supplied to the power sector based on its demand, the meeting was further informed.
Similarly, it was stated that the online dashboards for consumer complaints of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) were operational and the complaint resolution rate for SNGPL was of 93%, while that of SSGC was 79%.
According to the briefing, all gas fields in the country were active.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahmad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik, Prime Minister Coordinator Rana Ihsan Afzal and other relevant senior government officials.