KARACHI: The country’s power generation witnessed an increase of 16.2 percent to 9,866GWh during October as compared to 8,494GWh during the same month of the last year, data issued by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) suggests on Monday. “Contributors towards generation remained hydel, furnace oil (FO), gas and re-gasified liquid natural gas (RLNG) with 24.7 percent, 25.8 percent, 17.1 percent and 15.1 percent, respectively, said Rao Amir Ali in a report issued by Arif Habib Limited. “Although, generation based on hydel, FO and gas displayed a negative growth; coal, RLNG and nuclear-based generation displayed a massive surge,” he added. Induction of Sahiwal coal power plant, three RLNG power plants and Chashma Nuclear-III and IV were primarily responsible for higher coal, re-gasified liquid natural gas and nuclear-based generation. On a monthly basis, generation was down 12.2 percent in October, given lower demand for electricity due to change in weather. However, during the four months of the fiscal year, generation depicted a growth of 12.7 percent to 46,737GWh. Meanwhile, average cost of generation witnessed a decline of 19.3 percent in October to Rs5.13/KWh as compared to Rs6.36/KWh in September 2017. “Decline in generation cost was mainly due to higher generation on comparatively cheaper sources,” Ali added. Re-gasified liquid natural gas -based cost of generation displayed a downturn of two percent to Rs7.88/KWh; however, gas-based cost of generation has witnessed an increase of 6.1 percent to Rs4.63/KWh; followed by FO’s cost, which inclined 2.2 percent to Rs9.75/KWh due to higher furnace oil prices.
