Frequent power tripping, low voltage add to woes of Pindiites

Rawalpindi : The consumers of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) have been facing frequent power tripping, low voltage, and unscheduled loadshedding in severe weather resulting in damaging electrical appliances in homes and offices on a regular basis but the power company is not taking this issue seriously.

On the other hand, Iesco has claimed that consumers were facing power tripping and low voltages due to system overload. The consumers of Morgah, Adiala Road, Defence Road, Sher Zaman Colony, Gulistan Colony, New Lalazar, Tulsa, and several other localities said that hardly 140-150 volts are being supplied to us in this severe weather. Even fans cannot run with these voltages. "We have taken up this issue with the IESCO authorities many times. We always get the same response, the power network is overloaded and the company is trying to upgrade the aging system to deal with the swelling load," the consumers bemoaned.

Iesco Executive Engineer (XEN) Tariqabad Abdul Rasheed Sarki admitting all facts and figures told ‘The News’ that consumers were facing power tripping and low voltages due to system overload. We are also observing load-shedding to fill up the gap between demand and supply, he claimed. 220 volts is a basic requirement but we are helpless due to system overload. The situation will be better after some days, he hoped. Shabbir Ahmed, a local said that the concerned Iesco department is a profitable department but has literally failed to upgrade the power distribution and transmission network. We are facing 6 to 8 hours of unscheduled load-shedding, tripping, and low voltages but have to pay huge amounts of electricity bills every month, he condemned Iesco.

Another citizen Kamran Murtaza, said that he doesn't want to debate whether the present government has increased power generation or not, but I know the energy sector is hardly producing 20000 MW, which is even below the demand of some five years ago. “It seems that energy managers or players in the corridors of power are trying to deceive the public or make a mockery of the system ahead of general elections," he maintained. He also said a true picture would emerge once the present government ends its tenure. Shahbana Irshad, a housewife said that she could not run a water motor to fill up water tanks due to low voltages and power tripping.