PESHAWAR, Jan 27: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) will instal low-capacity transformers by replacing light lines and large transformers to curb power pilferage and reduce line losses.

The company has planned to spend Rs100 million on installing small transformers in the first phase.

Speaking at a press conference here on Thursday, the Pesco superintending engineer, Khyber circle, expressed the hope that the company would be able to overcome the problem of overloading and issues relating to power theft, line losses and would ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers after installing the new transformers.

He said the plan would help eliminate the problem of overloading of 11KV feeders, and damage caused to the transformers and power distribution system would also be cut.

Pesco, he said, had decided installation of the low-capacity transformers in view of growing number of unauthorized power connections [kunda system]. The new transformers would improve power supply to its consumers, he added.

He rejected the impression that Pesco was carrying out load-shedding in its jurisdiction. The suspension of power reported from various parts of the province was due to overloading of the power system, he said.

Power consumption had recorded an increase in the recent past because of low temperature and the load management of gas on the part of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited.