The country suffered another major power breakdown Thursday just within a week, which left most parts including Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar without electricity. According to officials of Water and Power Ministry, power supply was terminated to various parts of the country including major cities as fire erupted at main transformer of Guddu thermal power station due to which the entire generation system went into island mode.
Mangla and Tarbela power stations also stopped 1000 MW electricity to the system. Secretary Water and Power, Younus Dagha rushed to the National Power Control Centre (NPCC) to monitor power restoration process. A spokesman of Water and Power Ministry told that at 4:33 pm that Tarbela and Mangla have been connected after which electricity supply to Peshawar was partly restored.
At 4:35, spokesman informed that 220 KV network has been bought into the system. He further added that hydel supply was stabilized at 4:50 pm. "All the grids in Rawalpindi/ Islamabad have started energising," he added. Water and Power Ministry had ordered a probe into the reasons of power breakdown on January 16, 2015, the outcome of which is still awaited or the Ministry has kept it secret. Insiders claim that National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has issued a show cause notice to the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for the power breakdown but no reply is received yet. The regulator which is not satisfied with the performance of power sector is expected to issue another show cause letter notice to NTDC on Friday (today).