PESHAWAR: Heavy rainfall and flash floods have severely impacted the power infrastructure in Swat, as floodwaters entered the 132KV Swat grid station, causing the tripping of 41 feeders and the complete suspension of electric supply across the region.
Among the affected areas, the feeder supplying power to Malam Jabba was also submerged, resulting in extensive damage, according to a statement issued by Peshawar Electric Supply Company here on Friday.
It said that the flash floods had washed away several electricity poles and transformers at various locations, further worsening the situation. In response to this emergency, on the special instructions of minister for energy (power division) Awais Ahmed Laghari, Pesco swiftly initiated emergency restoration measures.
A dedicated control centre has been established at the Pesco head office, which is being personally monitored by Pesco chief executive officer Akhtar Hamid Khan.
To expedite the rehabilitation process, additional technical staff has been deployed to Swat, and a substantial quantity of restoration equipment —including transformers, poles, cables, and heavy machinery — has been dispatched to support field operations.
The rehabilitation work began on Thursday, immediately after the rainfall subsided and floodwater was drained from the grid station.
Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2025
