593 transformers of 200KV lying out of order in Rawalpindi Circle

Rawalpindi
A large number of residents of different localities in the city are facing long hours of power breakdown, as 593 electricity transformers of 200KV have been lying out of order in the Rawalpindi Circle for last six months.
Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco) Deputy Director Technical (DDT) Waheed Abbasi, admitting all facts and figures, told ‘The News’ that as many as 593 electricity transformers out of the total 12,497 were damaged in the Rawalpindi Circle some months back. He said that they were trying to purchase transformers but so far failed to arrange money for this purpose. He said “We purchase transformers from the head office in Lahore. “We will purchase transformers within 15 to 20 days,” he said. He also admitted that they have received numerous applications for replacement of transformers.
He said that the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) needed a total of 12,497 electricity transformers in the Rawalpindi Circle, but for more than six months 593 transformers of 200KV have been lying out of order. Electricity transformers from 10KV to 200KV cost between Rs150,000 and Rs450,000. At least, 200 consumers get electricity from a transformer of 20KV, he informed.
The most affected areas where electricity transformers are out of order included Defence Road at Adiala Road, Dhamial, People’s Colony, Gorakhpur, Asghar Mall, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Banni, Pindora, Soan, Gulistan Colony, Rawat, Dhoke Juma, Gharibabad and Ganjmandi.
The linemen of Iesco resolve the issue temporarily but due to load power breaks down frequently.
Similarly, sources said, the Iesco is also facing shortage of electricity meters for a long time as around 16,000 applications for installation of new electricity connections and replacement of defected ones are pending with the department for more than one year. The owners of the newly-constructed houses are suffering the most because they had deposited demand notices, which Iesco sent them, but could not get new connections even after a long time.
The shortage of domestic power meters is giving a tough time to existing as well as old power consumers of Iesco settled in rural and urban areas in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Talking to ‘The News,’ consumers, belonging to different walks of life, condemned the Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco) for not providing them electricity transformers.
Muhammad Talib Qureshi from Defence Road at Adiala Road said that they had filed several applications in the concerned office for installation of electricity transformer, which has been out of order for more than six months.