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Lights out: Major cities in Pakistan face electricity blackout
A technical fault at the National Grid Station in Islamabad cripples the entire country.
80 to 90 per cent of Karachi is witnessing a power breakdown. PHOTO: EXPRESS/MOHAMMAD NOMAN
Many cities across Pakistan plunged into darkness on late Sunday evening due to a technical fault at the National Power Control Centre (NPCC) in Islamabad, Express News reported.
NPCC consultant Chaudhry Masood said the system collapse was due to a HUBCO power plant trip, which caused a 1200-megawatt shortage.
Cities affected include Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Sibbi, Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin and Nawabshah.
27 grid stations were reported to have tripped in Karachi. 80 to 90 per cent of the city was blacked out.
Restoration of power in Karachi was top priority because of the Karachi Stock Exchange, said Secretary Water and Power Rai Sikander.
Lahore Airport was blacked out but continued operations by running generators.
16 divisions of Balochistan were in darkness.
Officials from the NPCC said they had traced the cause of the technical fault, but could not give a time frame on how long it would take to fix.
Off-duty NPCC officials were called in to assist with the situation.
The KESC depends on the National Grid Centre for a 500-600 megawatt supply of electricity.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf took notice of the blackout.
Reader Comments (27)
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CSS xams n power outages :@
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@Usman Lateef:
All the best bro :)
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This is not a big news for me.Because we have been made addicted of load shedding.Enjoying load shedding from last 6 hours.
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Same happened in India some time back…OMG this is a conspiracy by India. They perfected a blackout technique tested it on themselves and now targeting us!
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something fishy going on..
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I have a bad feeling the army is behind this power outage. Martial law coming into place?
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The learning is that at least we are equal in today’s darkness. One for all and all for one.
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People keep on enjoying, as long as you keep on showing loyalty to people who have been tried for decades. Show some loyalit to eachother and especially to Pakistan for we are through Pakistan sand Pakistan is through us. Power is yours, understand it and use it wisely by electing the rightious people.Recommend
Time to party on the roof with the thirsty mosquitoes…
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@TightPatloon: I quite see the same way. The first thing came into my mind is the same.
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Poor Land of Pakistan and load shedding deserving people of Pakistan. May they learn lesson from load shedding and start to work hard to develop country.
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FCPS Exams and power outages :@
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Both India and Pakistan should make massive investments in modernizing grid and power transmission lines. This alone would save 30% – 50% of the power that is now being waste. If done, this would not only bring in sustained ecological and economic benefits but also avoid many incidences of fire due to short circuits.
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Conserve energy!!!!!! Switch to renewables: solar and wind energy to avoid centralized systems twith vulnerable distribution systems. I know its expensive but not as expensive when you consider the damage to the industrial/commercial sectors as a result of lack of electricity supply.
Go off grid, China is selling plenty of solar panels at affordable prices – buy one and replicate in Sialkot…. Innovate!!!
Demand your government to invest in renewable energy. I mean waste can be converted to energy. The Landhi Cattle project in Karachi could have converted cowdung into energy but its has stalled because of politics.
Innovate!!!!!!
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yes party on the roof with the thirsty mosquitoes and a dengue hangover. what funn
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Forget about the temporary blackout, think about the darkness of ideas to save Pakistan.
The light that you see at the end of Pakistan tunnel is infact the light of coming TTP train that will crush you if you do not take quick action to save Pakistan.
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here in gujranwala power was off round 9pm n still blackout in all the city
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Looks like the last person leaving has turned the switch off. Keep it that way.
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Pm has taken Notice Talian Bajaey!! Talian! Now we are looking to the matter and a unanimous commitee will be formed for it, so the it can be resolved in a transparent, Democratic, and, deliberate way. See I am good, I think I should be PM.
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Asfandyar khan you already started Pakistan national level politics. Now be Pakistan and Announce when you wake up tomorrow that we are now pro kalabagh dam. Believe it if u Announce these few words it is sufficient for your party winning the hearts of the people of whole punjab and your party will form Next government in punjab after next Election
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Rumour on Kamra Airbase that the national blackout was due to an impending Israeli airstrike.
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Guys it’s not any conspiracy…the basic concept is demand n supply and supply even if its at bigger cost ( which will be going into curropt ppl. I wont refer it to market manipulation that affect California for 10 years but here It’s our own govt. ! ….
Regards,
Zulqurnain Agha.
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Uff Pakistanis and their obsession of connecting every incident with conspiracies!
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it was not an incident.it was all the game of our leaders.there is a great story behind it. Recommend
Does anyone else see the irony in this?
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I am Indian and never knew that Pakistan was so modern…!
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@Queen:
Thankyou :)Recommend