KARACHI, May 18: The newly built Hubco-Baldia power link, having a capacity of supplying 500 megawatts from Hubco to Baldia grid station, went dead on Thursday during testing phase.

Well-placed sources said the Hubco-Baldia link was completed at a cost of Rs3 million. It was completed last week and 150-160 megawatts power was being supplied through the link on an experimental basis. On Thursday, the link became dead abruptly. Engineers and staff of the Water and Power Development Authority were at work to repair the fault.

Member Power of the Wapda Muhammad Anwar Khalid told Dawn over telephone from Lahore that a fault had developed in the Hubco-Baldia link and it could happen during testing phases. He said the work to repair the fault was being carried out and it would take two to three days to be repaired.

He said the Wapda had installed one transformer at Baldia grid station and the other one was on its way. He said the capacity of power supply from Hubco to Baldia would be increased up to 1,000 mw after the installation of the second transformer. The installation of the second transformer would take at least three to four months, he added.

Mr Anwar said Wapda had been supplying power to KESC through Jamshoro-KDA link and as on Thursday, Wapda supplied 670 mw which was more than the mutually agreed supply.