September 05, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 04, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 4: Massive tripping of the Karachi Electric Supply Company’s extra high tension (EHT) circuits knocked out many grid stations resulting in the suspension of power supply to a large number of city areas at different times on Thursday.

Tripping of the KESC’s Valika –Gul Ahmad 220 KV EHT circuit had a cascading impact on at least nine grid stations primarily serving the industrial area and localities around it, said sources.

Early in the day tripping was registered in Gulshan-Landhi EHT circuit which denied power supply to a vast area for several hours, including Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Malir, Landhi etc and various adjoining areas

Around 1pm tripping occurred in Valika –Gul Ahmad circuit which affected Baldia, Lyari, Orangi, Old Town, West Wharf, Valika, Site, Mauripur and Haroonabad grid stations. On account of the tripping North Nazimabad and adjoining areas were also affected.

The cause of the tripping is yet to be ascertained but it certainly created a massive gap in power supply by the utility on a day when all its units of Bin Qasim Power plant were operating and producing around 845 megawatts. Nevertheless two units of the plant, 3 and 4 were producing 70MW and 80MW respectively.

Outages were also experienced in Federal B Area and North Karachi industrial areas until mid day reportedly due to tripping of lines around six times. Interestingly, when complaints were lodged with the relevant authorities, the consumers were told that only one tripping had occurred.

Meanwhile, the KESC faced a maximum shortfall of 280 megawatts in meeting around 2,200MW overall demand of power supply to the city.

Around 6:30pm the shortfall of electricity was around 215 megawatts with the Defence Cogen desalination plant giving 77MW electricity. It is worth mentioning that the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant resumed power supply to the KESC at about 8.30pm after remaining dormant since Aug 22.

The KESC officials said that like Sept 3 efforts would be made once again to spare dwellers of the city of power load-shedding 15 minutes prior to the Iftar time.

A spokesman for the power utility has said that the KESC has been doing its best to avoid the instances of power load-shedding during Sehar and Iftar times. Any breakdown or fault occurred at these times would be addressed immediately, he said.