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KARACHI, July 27: The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation rectified the fault in both its circuits at the Baldia grid that links it with the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant and power supply from Kanupp was likely to be restored sometime on Sunday night or Monday morning, if there are no more problems with the reinforced links.
The tripping in the two circuits on Wednesday night had blocked the relay of 80 megawatts from Kanupp. But the KESC was unable to rectify the faults initially. Even on Friday fluctuations were noted in the repaired circuits on which the Siemens led O&M cadre had spent a huge amount for their reinforcement.
Although the KESC’s spokesman was not available to comment on the status of the utility’s links with Kanupp, a spokesman for the nuclear facility said that “start-up exercise would be ordered this afternoon. If there are no fluctuations the power supply could be restored within the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Meanwhile, the KESC continued with its load-shedding across the city while its staff failed to rectify the so-called cable faults. Residents of Gulistan-i-Jauhar’s Block 18 complained they were without electricity since 8.30 in the morning, but the KESC staff was not responding to their frantic calls.
A caller from McNeill Road behind Cantt Station complained that his apartment complex, which houses senior citizens mostly over 65, had suffered five power breakdowns since 9am.
The massive load-shedding was prompted by the shortfall in power generation. Although the KESC maintains that load-shedding was not being carried out for more than two hours at a stretch, power consumers from various parts of the city said they were experiencing power outages continuing for up to four hours several times a day and into the night.
Internal reshuffle
Amid strong public outrage against the privatised management of the utility, led by Siemens, and as a result of the induction of senior executives after the privatisation of the company, the distribution of responsibilities has been revised “to achieve (the) desired level of supervision and control.”
These changes have been made after the experts’ committee set up under the directives of the prime minister questioned the ability of the Siemens-led O&M contractors to run a power supply utility.
The KESC Chief Executive, Syed Mohammad Amjad, through a circular (number 28) of July 21, said the key functions in the organisation have been divided into nine groups so that the remaining gaps in terms of delegation of authorities and signature mandate are also updated accordingly. Under this organisational chart Siemens has been confined to generation and distribution.
These groups pertain to finance, business operations and distribution, generation and transmission, human resources, supply chain, information technology, support services, legal and company secretariat and internal audit.
Each group shall be headed by an executive director supported by divisional heads (directors), departmental heads (GMs) and unit heads (deputy GMs), supported by section in-charges.
Under the new plan, executive directors are required to review the existing organisational structure of their respective groups and advise human resources of the validity of the existing structure or details of the required changes so that the remaining changes in the organisational structure could be finalised.
