LAHORE: The demand-supply gap of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) has exceeded 400 megawatt, leaving the company with no option but to carry out five hours a day load-shedding.

The Lesco sources said the company was observing two to three hours a day load-shedding earlier on rural feeders which has increased to five hours a day after the demand-supply gap.

It may be noted that Lesco Chief Executive Officer Ch Muhammad Amin had apprised Federal Minister for Power Division Engineer Khurram Dastgir last week that the company has ensured zero load shedding in all circles, barring the areas where recovery ratio is low.

However, the ongoing heat wave has led to increase in demand for electricity, thus leaving the company with a shortfall of more than 400 megawatt. At present, the company is being supplied with 4360 megawatt electricity against its demand of 4760 megawatt. The Lesco management has started unannounced load-shedding in the city with increase in the gap. The management sources said the company was observing five hours a day load-shedding on high losses feeders.

Meanwhile, the number of incidents of transformers failure has skyrocketed and maintaining uninterrupted power supply has become a challenge for the company.

It is worth noting that CEO Lesco Ch Muhammad Amin had dismissed a Sub Division Officer (SDO) of the company for illegal supply of electricity to a housing society last month while vowing zero tolerance against corruption and no place for corrupt elements in the company. He had further warned of stern action against all such elements in the company involved in corrupt practices.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022