LAHORE: With the increase in mercury level since start of April, massive planned outages are being witnessed in Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) areas.
One-third of Lesco feeders are facing huge power suspensions, spanning over eight to nine hours in a row on account of system augmentation in the first eight days of this month. The 35 daily planned outages that were observed on 1st April for carrying out system upgradation later gradually jumped to more than 150 on 4th April. On average, there have been 74 planned outages in the Lesco areas this month. The frequency of these types of planned shutdown is increasing day by day, causing immense problems for consumers.
Obviously, sources said, direct benefit of cutting power supply of large area is to attain the goal of lowering electricity demand. Such a massive power shutdowns helps in shedding rising electricity load and thus a preferred choice for the power managers, said sources.
To make matter worse, complex distribution system of power utility left no option with the Lesco management but to cut power supply to two to three adjoining feeders for the sake of undertaking work at one under-maintenance feeder due to safety purpose.
For instance, Lesco cut power supply of Saroba feeder in the city on Saturday morning due to what it claimed work being done on various areas initially for five hours. But as augmentation work could not be done on time, Lesco SDO concerned had nothing to offer to annoying consumers who had to wait for restoration of power supply until late evening. Later, SDO of the area was even not available on phone. Owing to nine hours of shutdown for no reason and subsequent lack of water supply, people of area had to suffer a lot.
The Lesco management did not bother to take steps for streamlining power distribution network for ensuring smooth supply to functional feeders but also for the stability of entire system. Most worryingly, no Lesco official was readily available for telling consumers about fate of their power supply. It is totally on the sweet will of the Lesco official to say anything about restoration of power supply. He has no compulsion, said a dejected consumer.
Ironically, the officials of Lesco Public Relations, working on deputation, are also happened to be permanent part of company’s Customer Service. But, both these job descriptions proved ineffective so far as providing relief to masses is concerned as they usually failed in providing accurate and timely information about the shutdowns.
Mujahid Pervaz Chattah, Lesco Chief Executive admitted that power supply of more and more feeders had to be suspended to undertake required augmentation work before onset of summer. We are hopeful that such upgradation would be completed by third week of April.
To a question about callous attitude of Lesco staff, he acknowledged that imparting timely information to consumers by staff concerned is need of the hour. I admit that we are not fully adhering to SOPs in this regard. The staff concerned should have complete knowledge about the power shutdown and its updates and he or she should be available to consumers whenever needed, he said and added the company will take action against such incompetent employees.
When contacted, Zafar Yab Khan, spokesman for Power Division insisted that planned shutdown was only allowed after it passed through many channels and it was not that easy to get shutdown permit on flimsy grounds. He admitted that in addition to cutting power supply of an under-repair feeder, some adjoining feeders also had to shut as a precautionary measure.
He claimed that due to better generation and pleasant weather condition, power generation has already been increased from the demand of electricity.
Meanwhile, Lesco has prepared revised load management plan, which is being implemented from this week. As per new power supply timetable, Lesco’s maximum load or demand is now estimated at 3,400mw while its quota from national grid is being set at 3,000mw. According to official outages plan, two to six hours a day power cuts of one hour each are being carried out in a phased manner in line with percentage of power losses in respective feeders.