Frequent power cuts disrupt routine life, businesses

IESCO says load management being carried out amidst high demand for electricity

ISLAMABAD:

Frequent power cuts and unannounced load-shedding have disrupted routine life and businesses in Rawalpindi amidst sizzling and sweltering temperatures.

The unannounced load-shedding has also badly disrupted work in offices and educational institutions. Citizens said that they were facing a dire situation due to power outages after every two hours.

Residents of several areas including Saddar, Marrir, Gulistan Colony, Dhok Banaras, Millatabad, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Pirwadhai, Gawalmandi, Dhok Hasso, Dhok Khabba, Tench, Dhok Chaudhriyan, Range Road, Misryal Road, Chauhar Chowk, Bank Colony, Chakri, Dhamyal, Scheme-III and other areas said that they have been facing worst power cuts and load-shedding.

On the other hand, the power cuts have also badly affected the water supply situation in the city and owing to the non-operation of tube wells and filtration plants, people were facing severe scarcity of drinking water at home. Due to the continuous disruption of power supply, the operations of tube wells in the city and Cantonment areas have been affected, creating a short supply of water for the residents.

The demand for UPS batteries and generators has also gone up with the increase in power load-shedding. Shops selling UPS batteries on College Road remain crowded with buyers.

Residents demanded that the government should fix the power supply system so that they could be spared from the worst power cuts.

On the other hand, a spokesperson for the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) said that due to the heat intensity, the electricity demand has also increased many folds.

He said that the gap between supply and demand has started widening which was being managed through load-shedding.

The spokesperson said that the demand for electricity in the IESCO region was 1990 megawatts (MW) and there was a shortfall of 200 MW and the load was being managed through load-shedding.

He said that as soon as the power supply is normalised, uninterrupted supply will be restored.

On the other hand, due to the increasing complaints of citizens about unannounced load-shedding in the city and Cantonment, the complaints cell of IESCO has stopped attending telephone calls.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Rawalpindi has urged citizens to use water judiciously as the agency faces a water shortage because of the increase in demand and power loadshedding.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2022.