The government plans on limiting gas supply to the domestic sector to just three-times a day during the four months of the winter season, in a bid to overcome the gas shortage.
The suggestion is part of the Gas and Load Management Plan for winter 2021-22 presented to the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) headed by Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar.
As per the Gas and Load Management Plan, gas will be provided to the residential sector three times a day for cooking only. Similarly, Regasified-Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) diversion to domestic users would be kept to the bare minimum to ensure the operational stability of the system.
The plan also reported lower availability of Liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the coming winter season, especially during the first three months of 2022. The Petroleum Division also highlighted the supply-demand shortfall of gas, but expects the deficit to be manageable based on clear intention that the bare minimum LNG would be provided to the residential sector.
The shortfall in December is expected to be around 22 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), rising to 137mmcdf in January. In February and March, it is expected that the gas shortfall will be limited to around 75mmcfd.
The meeting was informed that gas supply to power and fertilizer sectors on independent system outside the national pipeline network is expected to remain stable barring any unforeseen circumstances. The officials expect the supply and demand in this sector to remain unchanged and range between 1,061mmcfd and 1,200mmcfd.
Further, as part of the plan the government and gas companies will actively promote conservation of gas and use of cheaper incentivized electricity for water and space heating.
