RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Various parts of this metropolis continue to face hours-long power load-shedding in these scorching days as K-Electric has failed to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the city, despite receiving adequate gas from SSGC network.

The most-affected areas suffering from power outages include Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Saddar, Golimar, Liaquatabad, New Karachi, North Karachi, Buffer Zone, Keamari, Lyari, Korangi, Malir, Federal B Area Block 20 and surrounding blocks, etc.

For the last couple of days, the consumers complained that the city's neighborhoods have been facing intermittent power outages besides scheduled load shedding.

However, KE said that one of its Bin Qasim Power Plants had developed fault on Thursday, creating an additional shortfall of 200 mega watts to the metropolis. The major tripping occurred at a time when the city's temperature has crossed 40 degree centigrade.

The KE spokesman told Business Recorder "an additional shortfall of 200 megawatts in the system has been caused by a fault that occurred in a turbine of the Bin Qasim Power Plant-2. He hoped the fault would be removed within the next couple of days, as repair work is underway.

Sources familiar with power sector expressed dismay over KE's announcement of an additional increase of 2-3 hour load-shedding. They lamented the company has failed to enhance its generation and transmission system despite making over Rs 38 billion of annual profit. They said

KE's system is flawed as its plants, grid stations and transformers continued to develop faults during rains and hot weather every year. They said had KE installed protective gadgets in its system, the citizens would not have been facing long power cuts.

Traders also deplored frequent power suspension that has forced them to shutdown manufacturing units while the power utility is least bothered to generate additional power from its plants to meet the growing electricity demands of the city.