To avoid increasing loadshedding: PSO opens bids tomorrow for furnace oil import to generate power

ISLAMABAD: With a view to wriggling Karachi—business capital of Pakistan out of crippling power outages and to avoid increasing loadshedding in Punjab, KP, Sindh and Balochistan, the state owned Pakistan State Oil (PSO) is all set to hold much awaited bids opening tomorrow (June 30, 2020) for import of furnace oil.

And the furnace oil will be imported through Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) ships and once the furnace oil is made available the ongoing loadshedding in Karachi in particular and other parts of the country in general will be coped with.

As per the decision of the government of Pakistan, PNSC vessels will be used for shipment of these

cargoes. And the seller shall be liable to deliver these cargoes carrying furnace oil on C&F basis on PNSC’s vessels.

Apart from Karachi there are many IPPs in the country which are closed down because of non-availability of furnace oil. When the mercury goes up and load demand of electricity increases, and the federal government has attained the ability to generate 26000MW of electricity at the maximum during the peak season which is possible only when IPPs that run on furnace oil will fully be operational.

Currently the electricity of 22000MW is being generated which is being sent to DISCOs across the country but they have started exposing masses to unscheduled load shedding mainly because of increase in demand. There are many IPPs which run on furnace oil and will start generating electricity once fuel stock is made available and then the system will be able to provide relief to masses in terms of electricity availability round the clock.

As per the official document, Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) that met on June 18, 2020 allowed PSO to float tenders for import of furnace oil and accordingly PSO is going to open tenders of interested parties tomorrow for import of furnace oil. Now bid opening will be held on 30th June 2020 through Video Link keeping in view the COVID-19 phenomena.