KARACHI, May 16: Power breakdowns occurred in many areas of the city on Monday as consumers wondered what the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation was doing with an additional 100 megawatts it had lately been receiving from the Water and Power Development Authority.

Calling from Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Block 16-A, a resident said his daughter failed to study for her approaching intermediate exams at night because of prolonged power breakdowns.

“The intermediate exams are starting today. And, like most students, she wants to study late into the night. I have been considering buying a UPS because these power breakdowns are not going to come to an end anytime soon,” he said.

A resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar told Dawn that students taking their O/Level exams at a centre in Defence, Phase VIII, faced two prolonged power breakdowns on Monday.

“I took my daughter to the examination centre and stayed on outside as she took her exam. When students took longer than usual to come out, I asked the authorities what had caused the delay and they said two power cuts had occurred and students had been given more time. My daughter afterwards told me the students had an awful time because of the power breakdowns,” he said.

A resident of Malir Cantt said his locality had to experience a two-hour power breakdown on Monday. He recalled that the other day the area had suffered a 14-hour power breakdown.

A resident of Rexor Lane, Lyari, said his locality had a power cut. “We have power cuts almost on a daily basis -– if don’t have a power cut in the morning, we have it at night. Whenever I called the regional complaint centre, I am told that a shutdown is under way,” he said, wondering why the neighbouring commercial area never experienced a power shutdown.

A resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block 14, said while his locality did not experience a power breakdown, his cable operator was without electricity. And life with cable TV was difficult, to say the least, he said.

A complaint of the same nature was made by a resident of Federal B Area, Block 9.