Prolonged, unannounced power loadshedding tests public’s patience

People are facing a great deal of inconvenience due to unannounced and prolonged power cuts being conducted across the country in the intense summer, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

Not only do these cuts cause the people at homes to reel under shocks from loadshedding, but they also cause the small businessmen and factory owners to suffer huge losses.

It is learnt that power loadshedding continues in different parts of Karachi as the demand for electricity has increased from 3,350 MW to 3,400 MW.

Citizens express grave concerns over 7 to 10 hours power outages in the Old City area.

Shah Faisal Colony, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal are among the worse-hit areas, whereas, 8 to 12 hours loadshedding is being conducted in FB area, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Landhi and Korangi.

Prolonged power outages have also led to water shortages at homes.

Similarly, in Gujranwala, 8 to 10 hours loadshedding is being carried out in urban areas of Gujranwala, whereas, 14 to 16 hours loadshedding is being carried out in rural areas of Gujranwala.

Earlier, while expressing his resentment over hours-long power cuts in the midst of sweltering heat across the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif admonished his ministers and power authorities for showing slackness in taking measures to reduce loadshedding, asking them to chalk out both short- and long-term plans to end the bane.

The prime minister while presiding over an emergency meeting on the energy crisis in Lahore deliberated on the situation of loadshedding in the country. The meeting also reviewed reasons and causes of power cuts and their elimination.

The premier told the meeting that he could not tolerate loadshedding it should not be longer than two hours. He rejected all excuses in this regard. He asked them to take measures to remove the difficulties of people.

“It’s our duty to take measures to rid the country of power crisis,” he said, adding that they should devise short- and long-term plans to provide electricity at cheaper rates and in abundance.

He said that the people were upset with recurring power cuts of long duration which were affecting their daily life.

The country which is currently in the grip of a severe heatwave is also facing the worst kind of loadshedding.

The electricity shortfall has reached 6,865MW triggering power cuts as long as 14 hours a day in many areas of the country.

In Islamabad, the loadshedding was recorded 8 hours while in Lahore the power cuts were 6-7 hours long.

The power distribution companies informed that the duration of power cuts was longer in high losses areas.

Electricity shortfall touches 6,576 megawatts

The shortfall of electricity in the country has touched 6,576 MW, with total generation hovering around 19,924 MW and total demand at 26,500 MW, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

According to the power division sources, 5,219 MW of electricity is being generated from water while the government’s thermal plants are generating 1,284 MW of electricity.

The total power generation of private sector power plants is 9,764 MW while the power production from wind power plants is 1,190 MW.

The power generation from solar plants is zero, whereas, the bagasse-based power plants are generating 189 MW of electricity.

At least 2,278 MW of electricity is being generated from nuclear fuel.

On the other hand, up to 14 hours of loadshedding is being carried out in different parts of the country. The IESCO is also faced with a shortfall of 450 MW.

Up to 6 hours of loadshedding is being carried out in Islamabad. The duration of loadshedding is longer in areas with high losses.

Reporters: Usman Khadim Kamboh, Ashraf Khan, Zahid Iqbal Rana, Umar Aslam