Pesco left consumers' complaints unanswered after major breakdown in Peshawar

Dust storm disrupts power supply; 79 out of 85 feeders repaired

PESHAWAR: The entire Peshawar city plunged into darkness for more than 20 hours after a dust storm crippled the power supply system.

The Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s (Pesco) complaint cells avoided answering any calls.

According to details, the dust storm started on Monday evening after Iftar, knocking out all of the 85 distribution feeders in the city.

It is obvious that whenever there is a low-intensity storm or a few drops of rain fall in the city, it becomes an excuse for load-shedding.

Pesco workers could not work on the feeders as the dust storm was followed by rainfall.

“The load-shedding after such a less intensity storm and rainfall is due to the outdated supply system In the province,” a senior official of Pesco told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, adding that the government with the support of United States Agency for International Development has replaced distribution lines in some areas of the city, while the entire system needs to be upgraded.

Blaming rise in temperature for the tripping, he said, “The current distribution system was not even able to bear the load when the temperature rose up to 40° Celsius.”

Last night’s storm forced people to spend the whole night and eat Sehri without electricity.

“We did Sehri without electricity,” said Zeeshan Khan, a local of Warsak Road, adding that there was no water for ablution in our house.

He said he tried frequently to call Pesco’s complaint cells but all lines were engaged and whenever the bell rang, no one answered the phone. “It is shameful that they [Pesco] did not even update the consumers about how much time they will take to restore the electricity.”

A resident of Hayatabad Azmat Hayat told The Express Tribune that he tried to contact Pesco’s complaint cell but the numbers were engaged for more than an hour.

Pesco’s Director General Public Relations Shaukat Afzal told The Express Tribune that on Monday night 11 grid stations, including Peshawar City, Peshawar Chaoni, Peshawar University, Shahi Bagh, Peshawar Fort, Jamrud, Warsak, Kohat Road, Hayatabad, Haripur and Jehangira had been affected by the dust storm. “Due to damage to these stations, a total of 85 distribution feeders have been knocked out.”

While getting updates on fixing the feeders on Tuesday, he said 79 out of 85 feeders have been repaired after more than 20 hours of power outage. Later on, when he was contacted again after four hours to ask about the numbers of the complaint cell being engaged, he did not receive the call.