June 05, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 30, 1429

QUETTA, June 4: Balochistan is facing a power shortage of 650MW because three large pylons of the 220KV Guddu-Uch-Sibi transmission line have been pulled down by heavy rain and storm in the Nasirabad area.

“Three power pylons have fallen and parts of 15 other towers have been damaged by the storm,” Jibrail Khan, a spokesman for the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco), said here on Wednesday.

Northern and central parts of Balochistan, including the provincial capital, Quetta, were facing 12 to 18 hours of loadshedding, sources said.

Qesco said the company was supplying electricity to the affected areas through alternate arrangements because replacement of the three pylons would take at least a week.

Meanwhile, Anjuman Zamindaran Balochistan has expressed deep concern over the loadshedding and said it will destroy fruit orchards in northern and central areas of the province.

They have demanded power supply through the Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan transmission line to save the crops.