KARACHI - Another Day of Power Failures, Technical Faults Cited

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KARACHI: People Endure Another Day of Power Failures

By Our Reporter

KARACHI, May 30: As mercury touched the mark of 35 Celsius with 56 per cent humidity on Tuesday, there were complaints of power failures from many parts of the city and the students appearing in Intermediate examination had to endure the suffocating heat without electricity.

Residents of Federal B Area block 9, 10, 14 and 15 reported that since Monday they were facing hardships due to power failures. Similar complaints were also received from North Karachi, Orangi Town, parts of Shah Faisal Colony, Malir and Korangi.

A resident of Shah Faisal Colony, Block 2 complained that people living in that area have been experiencing power failures every day but no relief had been provided to them.

Cable fault had discontinued power supply to parts of Sharea Faisal and Pipri, whereas in Malir two PMT faults were reported.

According to a KESC spokesman, power supply to Sharea Faisal was restored by 4 pm and one PMT in Malir was repaired. But another PMT in Malir, cable fault in Pipri and sub-station in SITE would be rectified sometimes during the night.

Residential areas of Nazimabad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i- Jauhar, Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road also faced power interruptions.

Power supply to Hub, Vinder, Uthal and Bela in Balochistan remained affected owing to tripping in Hub Chowki-Tapal-Baldia circuit lines.

Repair work on the extra high tension transmission line serving the area was in progress.

Meanwhile, two units of Bin Qasim Power plant have started operating both on gas and furnace oil generating about 100 mw, sources said on Tuesday.

Units five and six of the power-plant switched over to "mixed firing", using both gas and oil on May 22, after a portion of the existing pipeline was replaced by a 30-inch dia pipe, while another pipeline of the same dia was laid by the Sui Southern Gas Company.

These units are using 20 MMCFD (millimetre cubic feet daily) from the 70 MMCFD quota of the KESC, whereas they would require 80 MMCFD for operating to full capacity.

Unit No 2 will switch over to gas by the end of June, sources said. By 2002, the KESC will require 240 MMCFD to operate all the six units of the plant on gas.

The switch-over to gas is part of the KESC's plan to cut generating cost of electricity.

While the utility is trying to cut its operating cost, there has been no qualitative change in the service provided to the consumers, who are suffering owing to overbilling and power breakdowns.

http://www.dawn.com/2000/05/31/local3.htm

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-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), May 31, 2000


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