KARACHI, July 9: The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has put into effect its rain emergency plan with a view to improving its capability to quickly restoring services that may disrupt during rains.

In a statement issued here the KESC said that it wanted to manage increased workload as a consequence of rains through effective coordination and timely positioning of manpower and material stock.

The power utility advised the general public to keep away from rain-created hazards, including snapped wires, wet electric installations inside and outside buildings and inform the KESC about any emergency. The plan envisaging closer inter-departmental coordination and pre-practiced drills to ensure seamless operations in times of emergency would act as a guideline for all rain emergency actions, it said.

According to the plan, the KESC would alert field staff after receiving weather reports of approaching rains and notify emergency need to rectify pending faults on information received from central and regional nerve centres, especially set up for the purpose, the statement added.

These centres would collect all information during rain emergency from all public complaint offices and support departments maintaining low-tension and high-tension transmission lines and distribution network.

“Field maintenance teams equipped with required machines, special tools and lighting arrangements, etc, will work in three shifts round the clock to ensure rapid rectification of faults.

“The KESC top management will directly be monitoring situation through fault reports at an eight hour frequency initiated by all area offices. At times of emergency, these reports will be initiated every four hours.

“All maintenance and support vehicles have been made available for prompt deployment at location of fault while standby vehicles will also be ready to move immediately in case of a vehicle breaking down.

“Like previous years, safety of field staff will be observed as highest priority. In cases of rectifying faults, line isolation shall be ensured before undertaking work,” the statement added.

All regional coordinators would remain in contact with respective town administrators’ offices to mobilise KESC resources as per greatest need of public.—PPI