LAHORE: Constraints in the power transmission, supply and distribution network have left the distribution companies (Discos) with no option but to resort to forced outages in addition to scheduled loadshedding. There are six to eight hours of loadshedding in urban areas and eight to 12 hours in rural areas.

The situation in Punjab, especially in the service areas of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), worsened after over 30 132kV grid stations disturbed due to various constraints and problems caused by the three 220kV grid stations owned and operated by the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC).

“For the last couple of days, the GIS breaker of the 220kV Shalimar grid stations went out of order due to system constraints emerging with rise in the mercury. One of the two circuits of this grid station is not working and the electricity supply to the 132kV grid stations and onward to 11kV feeders of the distribution network is being made through the other circuit,” a senior Lesco official told Dawn on Saturday.

Officials cite constraints in power network

Besides Shalimar, the 220kV new Kot Lakhpat grid station is also in trouble after its three major transformers (250MVA each) appeared to be overloaded, leading to disturbance in the 132kV and 11kV distribution system.

The third 220kV Ghazi grid station is also overloaded, leading to various constraints to the power distribution system.

When asked about the action taken by the authorities concerned, the official said he had heard that an NTDC team would resolve the issue at 220kV Shalimar grid within next couple of days. They (NTDC officials) have also started various jobs to remove system constraints at other two 220kV grid stations (Ghazi and New Kot Lakhpat), he added.

A senior NTDC official dispelled the impression saying the situation is not much problematic as is being presented by the Lesco officials. “Low voltage in certain areas of Lahore or elsewhere normally occurs due to inadequate capacitors installed in the distribution systems of Discos and low quality appliances used by the consumers,” he claimed.

He said the problem at Shalimar would at least take three to four days as the manufacturer from abroad had reached Lahore and the NTDC had sought outages from Lesco in certain areas in order to accomplish the task.

He said before putting burden on the 220kV system, it is necessary to see in depth whether the Discos’ distribution system is properly configured.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2017