ISLAMABAD: The government’s intention to stop providing gas to highly efficient captive power plants (CPPs) on February 1, 2025, has been sharply criticized by the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA).
Patron-in-PTEAAccording to the association’s press release on Tuesday, Chief Khurram Mukhtar described the action as a serious danger to the textile sector and a roadblock to Pakistan’s full export potential.
on order to guarantee steady and dependable energy for industrial operations, the textile industry has invested billions of rupees on gas-based power generation systems. Utilizing combined heat and power (CHP) systems, 480 CPPs nationwide run on the SNGPL network and 800 on the SSGC network, ensuring voltage stability and preventing damage to highly automated machinery.
The textile value chain will experience production disruptions and large financial losses due to distribution firms’ (Discos’) incapacity to supply steady and dependable power, Mr. Mukhtar stated.
Compared to government-run power plants, CPPs are significantly more efficient at producing steam and electricity for industrial usage. The lack of adequate planning is highlighted by the erroneous belief that grid electricity, which is subject to transmission and distribution (T&D) losses, will be less expensive than energy from CHP plants.
Furthermore, many industrial units require more than 10MW per hour, making it almost impossible to supply their energy demands due to technical grid limits.
