Blown power pylons: Massive outages in Balochistan

QUETTA: Massive power outages have been reported in Quetta and other districts of Balochistan due to a delay in repair of a damaged 220-KV transmission line in the Chattar area. According to the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco), unidentified people had blown up the National Transmission and Despatch Company’s power pylons on April 8 and they are still being repaired. “Qesco is currently carrying out seven to eight hours of load shedding in Quetta and 18 to 20 hours in district headquarters and remote areas,” said an official, adding that the incident has caused a power shortfall of 350 megawatts. In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said a new power pylon is being installed, adding that load shedding will continue till April 15. Baloch insurgent groups have intensified their attacks on power pylons and gas pipelines to protest the recovery of bullet-riddled dead bodies of missing persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th,  2011.