KARACHI, April 2: Karachi Electric Supply Corporation said on Monday that it was receiving about 350 megawatts shortfall from the Water and Power Development Authority, compelling it to resort to load-shedding for one to one-and-a-half hours on a rotation basis across the city.

However, irate consumers alleged the power utility was simply passing the blame onto Wapda to cover up its own deficiencies.

A KESC spokesman said that around 9am on Monday, National Power Control Centre (NPCC) Islamabad all of a sudden restricted the power utility to obtain only 300 megawatts electricity from Wapda instead of 650 MW by passing an order to the utility’s Load Dispatch Centre, simultaneously shutting down the Jamshoro circuit.

It was said that KESC had no other option except to follow the instructions of NPCC. He said that at present only 300 MW electricity was available through the Hubco Link to KESC from Wapda instead of 650 MW. Due to this, it was a compulsion to carry out load-shedding of abut 200 to 300 MW, while power consumption has already increased due to the hot weather. It was said that current power demand of the city was about 2100 MW, which could not match the supply due to the sudden shortfall.

The spokesman informed that due to the shortage of electricity KESC has started group-wise load-shedding on emergency basis from 9.30am onwards.

He said that KESC was making efforts to obtain full load from Wapda, adding that load-shedding would continue till the restoration of the required power from Wapda.

A highly incensed woman caller from Clifton Block 4 said the KESC placing the blame upon lack of supply from Wapda was a poor excuse for its own less-than-stellar performance. She complained that her area suffered power cuts on a daily basis, while today residents went without power for close to six hours.

This, she said, was far beyond load-shedding and overloading was squarely to blame. According to her, the area housed several influentials who had their own PMTs (pole-mounted transformers) and generators, while average people suffered to no end.

Meanwhile, residents of various localities in the metropolis continued to complain of intermittent and prolonged power failures. A consumer from Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block-10/A said that electricity played hide and seek the whole day on Monday, adding that it was also suspended on Sunday night. “I am suffering from a spinal cord problem and unable to bear the prolonged power suspensions,” he said. He observed that in 1977 the production of power here was 1925 MW which, he said, should have been increased by now.

A number of consumers from Haroonabad, Banaras, Sher Shah, Azizabad, Pak Colony of SITE Town, Raees Amrohi Colony, Raja Tanveer Colony, Bihar Colony of Orangi Town, Malir, Landhi, Federal B Area, North Nazimabad and Qasba Colony complained of suspension of power supply to the areas.

A complainant form Defence Phase 2 said that power supply to the locality was suspended at 4am and was restored at 8am, while it was again suspended at 6pm and not restored till 8.30pm.

Another complainant from Clifton Block 4 said that power supply to the area was suspended at 6.30pm and was not restored till 8.15pm. He said that power supply to the areas was suspended thrice also during the day.