As power cuts increased with the rise in temperature the demand for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) has also increased in the open market in Rawalpindi. Vendors, in response, have also increased the prices of UPS immensely.
Residents said that frequent and unannounced outages have made their lives miserable. The city’s water supply system has also been completely disrupted.
Load-shedding is carried out over eight hours in urban areas and 10 hours in rural areas. The power outages have also severely affected citizens during sehri and iftar throughout the city but they are left with no choice but to buy a UPS.
The open market has a diverse stock of homemade and multinational brands, including Chinese UPS. Locally made UPS are available starting at Rs3,000 while the battery is available for Rs20,000. Chinese UPS is being sold between Rs3,500 and Rs4000. Major Pakistani companies have made their UPS available between Rs3,300 and Rs3,700. Companies have also increased the prices of batteries. Batteries that used to cost Rs7,000 now cost around Rs10,000.
A newer, bigger UPS has seen its price increase from Rs20,000 to Rs25,000. Shopkeeper Fareed Khan told The Express Tribune that UPS’s sales have increased in the last 10 days and are growing steadily. This season has increased the value of all types of UPS from Rs1,200 to Rs1,500 and in battery price from Rs700 to Rs1,200 per year.” He said, “UPS installation charges are Rs1,000, while maintenance of UPS has also increased since the start of summer. Around 10 to 12 UPS are brought to the shops for maintenance every single day.”
UPS are not the only products seeing price increases, Khan said, adding that prices for room air coolers and air conditioners have also gone up. Small room coolers cost between Rs10,000 and Rs12,000, medium room coolers cost Rs15,000, and large room coolers are available at Rs25,000.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2022.
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