Ensured load management better this year; SNGPL

LAHORE: Current cold wave & foggy conditions across the country has resulted in sharp increase in gas consumption by the domestic sector due to use of gas for water and space heating. However, sudden increase in gas consumption by domestic consumers may lead to depletion of system and low pressure in tail end areas in exceptional circumstances. Demand supply situation has considerably improved when compared to last several years owing to injection of RLNG in SNGPL system.

Howevr, RLNG is primarily meant for Power, industrial & commercial sectors as its price is considerably higher than the system gas, which is provided to domestic consumers on subsidized tariff. Nevertheless, SNGPL has been injecting RLNG as system gas through peak shaving mechanism to domestic consumers which has helped in mitigating low pressure complaints to a larger extent. In certain instances, despite adequate supply of gas / RLNG, certain consumers do not get gas owing to the reasons that gas supply is made to all categories of consumers through an integrated distribution network; therefore, pressure tends to drop at the tail end areas of network when all the consumers try to utilize gas at the same time. Gas supply system was initially designed keeping into account the cooking requirement only; however, with passage of time, consumption has drastically increased owing to use of gas for space and water heating, which can affect tail end consumers. Use of gas compressor by domestic consumers deprives the entire neighborhood from gas.***