Parts of Lahore plunge into darkness as grid station catches fire

LAHORE: In sweltering heat, a significant portion of the metropolis plunged into darkness late Sunday night following a fire in one of the main grid stations feeding large swath of power distribution system.

Owing to bursting of power grid machinery into flames, about a dozen grid stations of Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), tripped, suspending electricity supply to areas spanning from heart of the Old City, Civil Secretariat up to Multan Road in the South and central parts of Mozang, Ichhra, Iqbal Town, Punjab University, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Model Town and part of Gulberg. In typical hot weather of May, extremely sweltering conditions, abrupt power supply makes people extremely uncomfortable because of power breakdown. People are especially worried that such power failures take time in rectifying. They complained that local staff of power utility failed to update them about restoration of power supply.

Pointing finger, LESCO, a power utility and National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), federal public sector transmission enterprise blamed each other for the fault. An official of NTDC said 220kv grid station in Band Road went out of order due to tripping of 132kv grid. He said fired had been extinguished and after cooling, repair work would be initiated. To a question, he said, The fire caused partial damage to some equipment and transformer in the yard. NTDC teams are busy for speedy restoration of power. He added that cause of fire could be ascertained after conducting inquiry.

LESCO on the other hand believed that power failure int the city was caused by NTDC’s 220kv grid station. An official on the condition of anonymity admitted that more than 40 percent of city is out of power due to grid failure. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the power utility said that load management of electricity is being done following major breakdown. He added that electricity would be restored in different areas of the city as soon as possible.