03 February 2005	Thursday	23 Zilhaj 1425

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QUETTA, Feb 2: Electricity was restored in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan on Wednesday evening, Wapda officials said.

Almost two-thirds of the province had plunged into darkness on Tuesday night when some people blew up two high-tension towers of the single circuit 220 KV Uch Sibi transmission line near Sibi.

The blast badly affected 17 of the 26 districts of Balochistan. According to the Quetta Electricity Supply Company (Qesco), Wapda engineers, working on a war footing erected new high-tension towers and repaired the damaged transmission line.

"Engineers replaced the destroyed towers and restored power supply to all affected areas of the province in less than 24 hours," a senior Qesco official told Dawn. However, he said, Balochistan was receiving 40 per cent less electricity than its full demand and the situation would be handled through a load-shedding programme.

Balochistan needs around 600 mw electricity a day, but at present it is receiving around 380 mw through the Uch-Sibi transmission line, Habibullah Coastal Power Station Quetta, Shaki Sarwar- Loralai transmission line.

Three districts of Makran division were getting power from Iran while the KESC was supplying power to district Lasbela and Nasirabad and Jaffarabad were linked to Jacobabad. The supply was not affected to three other districts, Loralai, Barkhan and Kohlu.

Through Habibullah Coastal Power Station, Qesco had restored supply to many parts of Quetta late on Tuesday night. However, full restoration from Guddu through the 220 KV double-circuit transmission line would need more time as work on installation of six new large high-tension towers was under way.

"Installation of new large towers and complete restoration of power supply still needs more than a week," a senior Qesco official said. The disruption of power supply, has resulted in a shortage of water in many areas.