GILGIT, Oct 3: Main cities of Northern Areas — Gilgit, Karimabad, Nagar Valley and Gahkuchare — are facing shortage of electricity, and loadsheddings have become a frequent exercise in these areas.

Local shopkeepers said power failures had badly affected their business activities because during the peak hours, the Northern Areas Public and Works Department (NAPWD) personnel switched off power supply to their areas on the pretext of increased load on various feeders.

A source at the department said that with the insufficient water discharge in the streams, the powerhouses did not receive the required amount of water, which often resulted in the frequent loadsheddings. He also said power houses in various areas were being repaired, therefore they could not take the load.

During winters, the situation further aggravated as consumers used high-voltage appliances for heating purposes in the season, he said.

The two-megawatt power project at Budlas and Nagar had reportedly developed faults. Thus it had failed to provide required amount of power, residents of the affected areas said.

The 4-megawatt power project of Guro had not yet started transmission even though it was to be commissioned in June. The NAPWD authorities were reluctant to undertake the project in the absence of a circuit-breaker, they added.

The people have urged the NAPWD authorities to expedite work on the power projects in the region, and demanded of the department to restart thermal power stations that have been shut down for the last few months.

They also called upon the authorities to start work on the 22-megawatt Nalter Hydel Power project which, they hoped, would help end power crisis during winter in Gilgit and its adjoining areas.