Power breakdown hits Lahore

LAHORE: Another power breakdown on Friday crippled life in the provincial metropolis as several grids of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) went out of order.

The problem started with a fault in 500kv grid station that led to severe loadshedding in vast area of the city, including the localities in Western and Southern sides. The helpless consumers faced the menace of unannounced loadshedding for hours. Later in the evening, the intensity of outages was so extreme that in various feeders, power supply was being disconnected for one to two hour after gap of an hour. In posh localities like Model Town, electricity supply was being suspended after every three hours till the filing of this report. The prolonged outages also adversely affected water supply as functioning of tube-wells was also affected by the persistent power suspensions. Lack of electricity and water marred preparations for Jumpa prayers. In certain areas, including Samanabad, Mozang and Gulshan Ravi, there were complete halt in power supply for couple hours during Juma prayers, causing immense inconvenience to the people. Weather was also not pleasant on Friday, multiplying the miseries of the masses in the absence of electricity supply. Power supply cuts amid hot weather made life of people miserable. In the rural areas, power supply situation was even worst as the people living in the suburban areas and nearby villages had to brave loadshedding of three hours in row. Some most efficient power plants are not being run at full capacity. Sources said that 1223MW RLNG-based Balloki plant is producing one-third less power against it full capacity due to reasons better known to power managers. The newly-built much-touted most efficient RLNG-based plant is located near load centre and can play its part in reducing outages. However, the management of the plant was asked to reduce its output to 800mw only, further widening power demand and supply in cities like Lahore. When contacted, an official of National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) said that in the evening that a fault in 500kv Sheikhupura Grid Station resulted in stoppage of power supply to Lahore city. He added that abrupt cut in supply resulted in tripping of power lines in the city. He claimed that work on the grid station had been started, expressing the hope that electricity supply would be restored in a couple of hours.