Prolonged power outages affecting routine life in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD. The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) was damaging all kinds of business activities and routine life of the people in Islamabad due to prolonged power outages.

Power shutdowns of up to 8 to 10 hours every second day in all areas in Iesco’s jurisdictions have not only affected the routine life of citizens but also damaging all business activities.

Some two years back on October 24, 2018, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) had imposed a fine of Rs 4m on Iesco for its non-compliance with the performance standards but in vain.

The working at all allied hospitals and government offices, including the commissioner office, deputy commissioner office, Metropolitan Corporation office, RDA office, PHA office, Solid Waste Management office, RCB office and the CCB office has also been affected due to the shutdowns. Most of them are using generators to continue the routine working.

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) was observing prolonged power shutdowns in guise of maintenance work. The consumers are not only facing prolonged power shutdowns in excuse of maintenance work but also facing prolonged power blackouts of over 20-hours and the authorities concerned failed to resolve the issue.

On Wednesday’s rain, a majority of localities were plunged into darkness due to technical faults in several feeders. The Adiala sub division was in complete darkness for over 16 hours on the occasion. Similarly, the consumers of Lalkurti faced prolonged power blackout of over 20 hours and the authorities concerned failed to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, a pylon had fallen along the Soan River, suspending power to the areas connected with it.

Nepra, in a statement, said the power distribution company failed to maintain prescribed voltage levels and provide electricity connections within prescribed time, and manipulated data regarding number of interruptions, duration of interruptions and number of complaints.

In 2017, a Nepra team visited Iesco to assess its performance and verify the data submitted in the annual performance report of Iesco for the fiscal year of 2016/17 and also conducted a survey of consumers. The team submitted a comprehensive report, highlighting poor performance of Iesco with respect to different performance key indicators as prescribed under the Nepra laws.

The authority observed prolonged unscheduled electricity outages for more than 14 hours in different areas of Iesco. The transmission system constraint was the major reason for unscheduled power cuts, leading to voltage fluctuations. The voltage being received by the consumers in some areas were even below 180 volt, causing damage to home appliances.

Iesco official spokesman Raja Asim Nazir told ‘The News’ that they had total 1,100 feeders, adding they are observing power shutdowns on 50 to 60 feeders everyday for maintenance working in winter season. “We observed power shutdowns on alternative days,” he said adding power shutdowns will also continue during the winter season. He also said consumers of some areas were facing prolonged power outages due to major technical faults.