KARACHI: 250 feeders trip as supply from Wapda drops
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 20: People in many localities suffered from power failures on Saturday as supply from Wapda dropped, and about 250 feeders tripped, suspending supply to a vast portion of the city.
The tripping of feeders came at noon, and the supply was restored after an hour at 1pm.
A KESC spokesman said that the power utility received 540-580 megawatts from Wapda through Jamshoro-KDA link on Saturday morning, but the frequency lowered at noon, dropping the supply by 200-250 megawatts which caused tripping of feeders.
He said Pipri-Bin Qasim circuit tripped at 10:30pm, suspending supply to Malir, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony and other areas. As no fault had developed, the areas were energized within half an hour.
Sources said that the Hubco-Baldia link which had gone dead on Thursday was restored, but as transformer at the Baldia grid station remained switched off, no power could be supplied through that link. They said that President Pervez Musharraf had taken notice of deteriorating power situation in Karachi, and he might have a meeting with the Sindh governor on the power issue. The governor is likely to request the president to direct the Wapda to increase supply to Karachi.
A resident of PECHS, Block-2, Ms Riaz Fatima, said people in her locality were fed up of low voltage supply since Friday morning. She said voltage supply improved during the day on Saturday but voltages again dropped by the evening and no tube-lights could be switched on. Low voltage supply was a constant threat to electrical appliances, she added.
A KWSB spokesman said on Saturday that due to low voltage since last one week to LSR Pumping Station behind the Civic Centre, supply of water to nearby localities had been affected badly, adds PPI.
The spokesman said due to low voltages, water supply to Aga Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital, Dhoraji Colony, KDA Scheme, Bahadurabad, Sharafabad, Mohammad Ali Society, PECHS Block 2 and 6, Mehmoodabad No 5 and 6, Liaquat Ashraf Colony No 2, Karachi Administration Society, Karnali Basti, Nishtar Basti, PAF Base Shah Faisal and surrounding was affected badly.
He said the KWSB officials had repeatedly asked the KESC officials to take measures to ensure proper power supply so that water supply to the affected areas could be restored.
LOADSHEDDING: There are no chances to end power load shedding this summer. However, by May next, this problem would hopefully be controlled and Karachiites would enjoy uninterrupted supply of electricity, adds PPI.
This was said by the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) officials during a meeting between the KESC CEO Frank Scherschmidt and MNAs and MPAs of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) to discuss burning issue of electricity load shedding in Karachi.
KESC officials briefed the meeting on prevailing grave situation of electric supply in Karachi said a plan was in pipelines to convert manual system of KESC into computerized stimulation system, while 12 new grid stations would be made functional by April next as a part of KESC's integral plan to reduce plights of Karachiites.
The delegation was led by MNA Mohammad Hussain Mehnati, and other members of the team included MNA Laeeq Khan, MPA Nasrullah Shaji and MPA Younus Barai.
