Karachi: Power generation clocked in at 14,839 GWh (19,945MW) in July 2023, up 4.9 percent as compared to same period last year. Back in July 2022, power generation stood at 14,151 GWh (19,020MW). Year-on-year (YoY) increase in power generation was owed to higher generation from Re-gasified Liquid Natural Gas (RLNG) (37.7 percent), coal (21pc) and hydel (11pc), said Arif Habib Limited, brokerage house.

On monthly basis, power generation improved 8.2 percent as compared to 13,715 GWh registered in June. Increase was attributed to improved hydel (33.5pc), RLNG (14.7pc) and nuclear (13.5pc).

However, in 7MCY23 (January to July), power generation went down by 8.5 percent YoY to 75,861 GWh compared to 82,948 GWh in same period last year. Decline was owed to lower generation from Residual Furnace Oil (RFO) (-74pc), coal (-16.2pc), wind (-16.4pc) and gas (-11.3pc).

Total cost of generating electricity in country decreased significantly by 22.1 percent, hitting Rs 8.34 KWh in July 2023 compared to Rs 10.71 KWh registered in same period of previous year.

Significant decline is attributed to reasons-Ddecline in coal, RFO and RLNG-based cost of generation along with an 11 percent YoY, 5 percent YoY, 6 percent YoY and 6 percent YoY rise in hydel, nuclear, wind and solar based generation respectively."

In July, hydel was leading source of power generation, accounting for 37.2 percent of generation mix, to become largest source of electricity generation in country. Followed by RLNG, which accounted for 19.7 percent of overall generation, followed by coal which accounted for 14.7 percent of power generation share.

Among renewables, nuclear energy accounted for 14.2 percent of total energy mix, meanwhile wind, solar and bagasse generation amounted to 3.7 percent, 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent of generation mix.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 23 2023

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