LAHORE: The Lahore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Lesco) is facing a shortage of 1000MW as the demand is 4,100MW and the available power is 3,100MW, said sources.

Accordingly, the duration of load-shedding in Punjab province has reached 3 to 10 hours, leaving the consumers to face worst load shedding of electricity supply at the very outset of the summer season as well as Ramazan.

It may be noted that Lesco has already energized 50 new feeders to overcome the issues like low voltage and tripping during Ramazan besides repairing 2307 kilometer long transmission line at 132KV system. Also, felling of trees, replacement of transformers and 11KV lighting arresters, battery banks, faulty disk isolators, relays, jumpers, repairing of conductors and replacement, washing of disk isolators, installation of import/export meters on transmission lines, replacement of incoming and outgoing panels, identification of faults on transmission lines and transformers and cleanliness of control panels in control room are a few more steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers during Ramazan.

However, the recent power crisis has intensified and the overall electricity shortfall reached 5000 megawatts, local media reported on Thursday. The unannounced load-shedding has begun across the country as the electricity shortfall has reached 5000MW. Several power plants working on gas, coal and furnace oil have been closed.

According to the sources, 610MW Engro Power Plant in Thar and Port Qasim’s power plant with a capacity of 310 have been closed down. Nuclear K2, K3, Chasnob, Liberty Power Plant, Guddu Power Plant are also facing shortages and not producing power at their full capacity, they added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022