Power cuts intensify across Pakistan

Nationwide power outages averaged around 10 to 12 hours a day on Friday as sources confirmed that the electricity shortfall had hit 6,705MW. According to Power Division sources, the total production of electricity in the country was 20,795 MW while the demand has hit 27,500 MW. Currently, 7,349MW of electricity is being generated through hydropower plants, 639MW through government thermal power plants, 9,048MW through private power plants, 534MW through wind power plants and 123MW through solar plants Similarly, nuclear power plants are producing 2,988MW of electricity. On the other hand, bagasse is being used to produce 115MW. Notably, the electricity shortfall had jumped slightly above 6,500MW in June and has displayed a spike of nearly 200MW in two weeks. The shortage has led to loadshedding being ramped up to 10 to 12 hours from the earlier average of eight to ten hours. Unannounced outages are occurring in some areas due to technical faults, with the most rampant loadshedding being reported in areas more prone to power theft. Read Power outage sparks protest in Lyari Residents of Lahore particularly faced difficult circumstances after the installations of Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) suffered severe damage due to heavy monsoon rain in the five districts falling in its region on Wednesday. Three people, including a woman, lost their lives due to electric shocks. LESCO sources said several electric poles collapsed and transformers were extensively damaged. The falling trees and poles caused a 12-hour power outage, leading to severe difficulties for more than six million consumers. However, prolonged loadshedding across the country has continued to make the lives of the people miserable with sources in the Power Division saying that it is being carried out in only those areas where there are high losses and electricity theft is rampant. Residents of most of the cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta, registered complaints with distribution companies that they were facing up to 20-hour power cuts. People in most of the areas of Karachi complained that they were suffering from three-hour load shedding as many times a day. The main complaints were regarding children getting sick without electricity amid sweltering temperatures. Most of the people said that they were already struggling to make ends meet under the skyrocketing inflation, and it was difficult for them to take their children to the doctors. Meanwhile, patients and staff members at Rawalpindi's district headquarters hospital have faced immense difficulties due to a prolonged power outage in the sweltering summer season. Due to the extended power suspension, not only did the fans in the wards remain switched off but the X-ray and other laboratory equipment stopped functioning, which added gravely to the woes of the patients and their attendants. Hospital sources told The Express Tribune that due to a prolonged power breakdown in the DHQ Hospital, the affairs of the hospital came to a standstill.