Quake-hit areas: Rs 485 million spent on electricity infrastructure

Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has spent Rs 94 million on the restoration of electricity infrastructure in earthquake-hit areas during the last 2 years while reconstruction of electricity infrastructure would approximately cost Rs 485 million.
The devastated earthquake of October 8, 2005 had damaged the whole infrastructure of power supply in Hazara Division and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and power supply was disrupted in these areas. It damaged large number of Pesco installations worth million of rupees, including Grid Stations, Transmission Lines, Towers, Transformers and buildings besides the lost of precious lives of Pesco/Wapda employees.
Restoration of electricity was not an easy task as whole distribution system was totally destroyed by the earthquake in these areas, but performance of Pesco remained outstanding for restoration of electricity in quake hit areas. Pesco's technical staff restored power supply with in 24 hours on temporary basis in these areas. While on the other hand they worked day and night for the restoration of distribution system on permanent basis in order to normalise the life activities there.
The company during last two years had repaired 6 Grid in Muzafarabad, Hattian, Noseri, Balakot, Batal and Thakot, which were totally damaged in the devastated earthquake. Similarly 35 transmission lines of 11 Kv (hundreds of km long) have been reconstructed and energised, while 200 distribution transformers, which were damaged by the earthquake were also replaced.
The rehabilitation work on 99-km long Balakot - Kaghan Naran Transmission line has also been completed, while hundreds of kilometres long HT and LT lines have also been erected and power supply to these areas have been restored.
It is worth mentioning here that reconstruction work on permanent basis is still in process and number of electricity schemes are underway with a cost of Rs 485 millions which would be completed in due course of time. Similarly new earthquake proof buildings for Pesco offices and Grids would be reconstructed after the approval of design.
Chief Executive Pesco Brigadier Sakhi Marjan himself is monitoring the reconstruction works in the earthquake areas. He has directed the concerned officials to ensure the standard and quality of the work and complete all the ongoing schemes in time.