By Mohamed Adel Power plants' fuel consumption rates have increased to 118 cubic metres of gas and equivalent per day compared to approximately 115m last month, according to an official at gas holding company EGAS. The deficit in fuel supplied to stations decreased last week to approximately 7m cubic metres and equivalent of gas compared to the previous 10m cubic metres. Stations' actual needs are currently estimated at 125m metres and gas equivalent per day. Power plants receive 85m cubic metres of gas daily and 28,000 tonnes of fuel oil compared to last month's 75m cubic metres of gas and 24,000 tonnes of fuel oil, the official said. The official cited poor technical performance of power stations as a prime cause of the current electricity crisis, with some stations working at no more than 25% capacity. He added that power plants currently receive 70% of gas produced in Egyptian fields, which leads to stoppages in many factories and decreases in gas supplied to a number of others. The Ministry of Electricity and EGAS have agreed to increase quantities of gas supplied to power plants to approximately 80m cubic metres per day maximum, compared to the previous 75m. The move is intended to reduce power outages, but in reality, actual consumption rates and outages have increased. The official stressed that EGAS will not be able to supply any quantities beyond what was agreed upon as this represents 70% of Egypt's gas production. The gas will be supplied mainly to the industrial sector, he said. Egypt's total gas production has reached 134m cubic metres daily, and average power plant consumption during the month of Ramadan did not fall below 119m cubic metres of gas and equivalent. This rate grows according to increases in air temperature.
