How KE turned some Korangi areas into load-shedding-free zones

In a bid to turn unplanned settlements across Karachi load-shedding free zones, the K-Electric (KE) selected a few union committees as model committees in District Korangi and eliminated kunda (hook) connections from those areas by taking their communities on board.

The power utility also installed low-cost meters in those areas, due to which it claims that not only their revenue has increased but drastic reduction in load management has been witnessed lately.

The KE installs low-cost meters in communities where consumers are unable to pay the installation fees of meters, in order to discourage illegal connections.

The power utility took this scribe to different areas of District Korangi and explained how they had installed Ariel Bundle Cable in different areas which disabled the prospects of getting power illegally.

Earlier, whenever the KE used to remove illegal connections, it would come back in no time. “But by installing Ariel Bundle Cables, it is nearly impossible for anyone to install a hook connection,” explained a KE official, adding how Ariel Bundle Cables helped reduce cases of electrocution, which used to occur due to illegal connections.

For this purpose, the power utility took community leaders of those UCs on board, explained to them how hook connections were not only dangerous for them, but also dragged their community towards several hours of load-shedding.

An official from Korangi Customer Care Centre of the KE shared that areas of the district, such as Ibrahim Hyderi, Alam Para, Noorani Basti, were facing two-hour load- shedding thrice a day. After the installation of Ariel Bundle Cables and then low-cost meters, he claimed that the load-shedding had either reduced to one hour or they had completely gotten themselves rid of load-shedding.

Not only load-shedding has been reduced or completely ended, the KE official explained that line losses from those areas have also come to an end after the installation of Ariel Bundle Cables and then low-cost meters. Incidents of wire break during rainfalls, he said, have also reduced. “These communities are also getting proper voltage for their electric appliances,” the official stressed.

During a visit to Korangi’s Alam Para area of Ibrahim Hyderi, the official explained how still 100-per cent people there uses illegal hook connections. “We are trying to develop a low-cost scheme infrastructure along with Ariel Bundle Cables in the area,” he said, elaborating how in doing so their team faced a law and order situation in the area and they were yet to take community leaders on board.

In 48-F-1 Sector of Ibrahim Hyderi, huge wooden poles are present in different streets which are erected to support the wire of hook connections taken from a long distance. One the Ariel Bundle Cables are installed, the KE official, assured that the residents would be provided low- cost meters, and the area would also be declared load-shedding-free zone.

There are total number of 54 feeders in District Korangi, out of which 16 have been exempted from load-shedding, according to data provided by the power utility. Zaman Town, Sector 33/C, 33/D, Sector 36/C, J Area, P Area, Q Area, Sector 5-B, L Area, 33/E, Sector 34/2 and Labour Colony are the areas where Aerial Bundle Cables have been installed on PMTs.