Battle of the utilities: KE refutes claims of power shortage

KE's spokesperson says KWSB’s damaged cables were main reasons for interruptions in power supply to their feeders.

KARACHI: K-Electric (KE), formerly the Karachi Electric Supply Company, has denied allegations made by the managing director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) that the power utility had suspended power supply to the water board’s pumping stations. In a press statement released on Monday, KE’s spokesperson maintained that the utility had been providing uninterrupted power supply to all the pumping stations of KWSB in honour of the judgment passed by the Sindh High Court. The statement clarified that in certain situations where there was a breakdown of power supply, KE prioritised KWSB’s feeders and immediately provided electricity through alternate sources. This was done despite the fact that KWSB was a defaulter of Rs27 billion. The spokesperson went on to say that the KWSB’s damaged cables were the main reasons for interruptions in the power supply to their feeders.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2014.