KARACHI, Oct 22: Power supply to the entire city was disrupted on Wednesday morning following a tripping in both the circuits of the Jamshoro-KDA link of the Karachi Electric Supply Company, neutralizing the outdated and poorly maintained Bin Qasim and other power plants as well as the transmission and distribution network, which left a shortfall of more than 500 megawatts.
The city-wide outages prompted angry consumers to take to the streets in several localities while power was also knocked out to vital installations such as the airport.
The tripping had a cascading effect on the KESC’s generation and distribution system, knocking out the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant, which will remain off-line for at least another 48 hours. One unit each of Bin Qasim and the Korangi Thermal Power Station were still out of operation while others were operating much below par.
According to the utility’s spokesman, KESC’s 220kV circuits tripped at 11am due to which the system lost power from Bin Qasim units and Kanupp. “The Bin Qasim units are being restored. Kanupp will take two to three days to restore. The overall shortfall is around 400-500MW.” He said efforts were on to normalize the power supply as soon as possible.
The KESC was drawing 600MW from Bin Qasim, 120MW from KTPS and 150MW from the Independent Power Producers.
Enraged KESC clients in PECHS Block 2 stormed the utility’s office to protest against inflated billing and prolonged and unannounced outages. Harassed people in Shah Faisal, Malir, Burnes Road and the adjoining areas also took to the streets to give vent to their feelings. Traders in different parts of the city also burnt the inflated KESC bills to express their rejection of the tariff hike.
Jinnah International Airport and all important official installations were deprived of electricity for about an hour, after which the supply was gradually restored. But many areas were still without power for several hours as the KESC staff had not attended to the subsequent faults. Residents from many areas complained of damage to their electrical appliances due to the sudden outage.
The utility’s spokesman said that 70 per cent of the area would get electricity after 3pm. He hoped that power supply would be restored completely by 7pm. But despite official claim, the city continued to experience prolonged and quick cycles of outages, adding to the outrage of the people.
Wednesday’s major breakdown – the third this week – came a day after the new CEO of the KESC had claimed his team would turn around the utility while admitting the generating and distribution system was in a bad shape.
Demand for withdrawal
Meanwhile, consumers’ associations demanded that the notification for rise in the electricity tariff for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers should be withdrawn immediately and new bills with the old tariff should be issued.
“This rise of 71 per cent in the KESC tariff is the first conspiracy against the newly-elected democratic government. In order to run a smooth economy, this notification should be taken back immediately,” said a statement issued by a consumers’ body.
“In this regard, reduction of tariff for the consumers of up to 100 units would hardly relieve the mass consumers of electricity. This rise of 71 per cent is mainly due to line losses, theft and pilferage of electricity, with installation of under-capacity PMTs, which effects the distribution network of the KESC,” said an observer.
“It would be unfair for innocent consumers, who are paying their electricity bill regularly and on time, to bear this 71 per cent enhancement in tariff. A common man’s whole earnings will be spent on payment of utility bills. For the last many years, our industrial growth has been stopped and it is unaffordable even for industrialists and traders to cope with this rise,” said an agitated consumer.
“For industrialists, this tariff will not only enhance the cost of doing business but will also adversely affect exports, which are the backbone of our economy. Eventually, flight of capital will result, which has already started,” said an industrialist.
Representatives of domestic, commercial and industrial consumers appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the federal minister for water and power to provide immediate relief to the citizens of Karachi and withdraw the notification of the new tariff immediately.
It was also stated that a consumers’ signature campaign would be started from the Karachi Press Club to record the protest of all consumers in this respect.
Meanwhile, local Jamaat-i-Islami leader Mohammad Hussain Mehnati went to different markets and distributed pamphlets to elicit traders’ support for the Oct 24 strike call against the power tariff increase.
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