‘KE cannot absolve itself of responsibility’

CM demands increased gas supply to two shut-down power plants

KARACHI: K-Electric (KE) and the Sindh government cannot absolve themselves from their responsibilities, said Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah at a meeting held on Tuesday to resolve the power crisis.

"We are responsible to the people of province. People are dying and everyone is blaming KE for its failure to cope with the situation," he said.

KE CEO Tayyab Tareen said that the unprecedented high temperatures had caused serious problems for the power utility, which were exacerbated when angry residents started attacking their complaint centres and manhandling workers who turned up to fix the faults.

He added that due to low gas pressure, KE had been forced to shut down two of its power plants in SITE and Korangi. "If they are made functional, about 200 MW power would be generated and it would help the company reduce the ongoing load-shedding," he assured. The CM directed the Sui Southern Gas Company to improve the gas pressure to make them operational.

Tareen said that 70 per cent of KE's high tension cables were laid underground and heated up when the temperature rose, causing the feeders to trip.

Provincial finance and energy minister Murad Ali Shah said that the KE should have preempted the situation and invested in its distribution system. "You are getting good profits from this city and you have to pay the city back," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2015.