KARACHI, Feb 28: Unannounced load shedding, particularly in evening hours, has become order of the day while the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation is yet to complete the renovation of two units at the Bin Qasim Power Station, which was started in January.

People complained that the KESC failed in delivering uninterrupted supply of electricity to many areas during this month. The power utility had announced a temporary load shedding during evening hours from January 18 to January 31 due to 100 megawatt shortage in the Wapda supply and renovation work at the Bin Qasim Power Station. But electricity breakdowns and load shedding kept on disturbing people throughout the month of February.

During the last couple of weeks, there was not a single day when power failures had not occurred in the city though the weather is still pleasant and power consumption is also not so high.

The KESC notifies schedule of power shutdown in different localities from 9am to 5pm almost every other day for improvement of distribution network. However, the consumers’ complaints are ample proofs that unannounced load shedding is regularly carried out in the evening hours. The consumers say the names of their localities were not mentioned in the notified schedule of power shutdown and power supply was suspended unannounced.

A resident of PECHS said power supply to the areas was suspended at 6pm and not restored till 7pm.

In Garden, a complainant said, power went off at 7.15pm and it was not restored till 7.45pm.

Complaints about power failures were also received from Soldier Bazaar, Site, Orangi Town, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, North Karachi, I.I. Chundrigar Road and Defence.

People said KESC officials should take sustainable measures for maintaining uninterrupted power supply and learn lessons from mistakes of previous year when furious consumers set ablaze its offices.

The KESC spokesman claimed that load shedding was not being carried out in the city though there were some complaints about power failures due to local faults. He said people should inform and cooperate with the power utility for immediate rectification of faults.

He admitted that two units of the Bin Qasim Power Station were being renovated and the maintenance and replacement work had been initiated to meet the summer’s power demand of about 2,500 megawatt. The Wapda was providing regular supply of 560MW power, he said adding that at present the demand and supply in the city was up to 1,800MW. He said in case of any shortfall the load shedding would be announced officially.