LAHORE: With massive rise in mercury, various parts of Lahore and its suburbs are witnessing power tripping, fluctuation and loadshedding for the last few days.

However, the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) claims that the company’s distribution system is working well and receiving and distributing electricity as per the consumers’ demand. But the consumers, on the other hand, complain about loadshedding for hours in their areas without prior notice to the consumers.

“For the last many days, we are in trouble due to unannounced loadshedding for hours on a daily basis. Whenever we contact the area office of Lesco, the official seems unable to satisfy us with solid reasons and justification,” a consumer of Batapur said on Friday.

“In addition to loadshedding, we are also facing power tripping these days,” he said.

Lesco chief says problem is restricted to high loss areas

According to a resident of Johar Town, the consumers are witnessing power tripping and shutdowns due to reasons best known to Lesco. “Power tripping occurs in our area in peak hours during last three days. In addition to this, suspension of power supply either due to transformer overheating or other technical issue also happened during last five days,” said the consumers whose area comes under service jurisdiction of Lesco airline subdivision (Johar Town).

A resident of Township also complained about power tripping in their area. “Whenever we called the area SDO or Executive Engineer on their official number in case of finding the complaint number busy in this regard, no one picked the phone,” he deplored, requesting the senior officials to look into the issue.

On the other hand, Lesco Chief Executive Mr Mujahid Pervaiz Chattha dispelled the impression and claimed that none of the service areas of the company except those falling under service jurisdiction of high loss category are facing loadshedding or load management.

“There is no unannounced loadshedding in any area of Lahore. Though the worst hot weather spell continues in Lahore, we are receiving, distributing and supplying electricity according to the required demand / quota,” a press release quoted Mr Chattha as having said on Friday. However, he clarified that load management in the areas falling within service jurisdiction of high loss feeders is a part of the government policy.

“We have total 1,891 feeders of 11kV including 31 high loss ones that is even below one per cent of the total,” the CEO said, adding that the absence of light due to various technical issues in the ongoing worst heatwave is not unannounced loadshedding.

Mr Chattha further said Lesco while observing shutdowns in any area for the purpose to carry out repair / maintenance works informed the consumers through media in advance. “The people must understand the situation and appreciate the Lesco staff working in such a very dangerous pandemic of Covid-19 and very hot weather.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2020