PESHAWAR: The electricity load-shedding duration exceeded 10 to 12 hours in most areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which has multiplied miseries of the masses already reeling under intense heatwave while the electricity shortfall reached 35% in the province.
Due to the increase in heat-wave intensity, the “feeble system” of PESCO failed to ensure power supply for a long duration to the consumers. The forced closure of transmission system has given rise to load-shedding in different areas as a result the routine life of citizens is badly affected.
Currently, the demand for electricity in KP stands at 3,323MW while 2,150MW of electricity is being supplied to KP from the National Grid. Out of the total of 262 feeders, 250 feeders are overloaded this month.
According to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company sources, there is a gap of more than 35% in the demand and supply of electricity from the center due to which the minimum load-shedding period is eight hours.
The sources said that the load-shedding period was also high in areas where recovery is very low or non-existent. They informed that continuous power transmission is also not possible due to the “very dilapidated” transmission system of PESCO in the province.
In the face of intense heat, the transmission system of PESCO is unable to provide continuous electricity, due to which the PESCO administration has to give the system a break, resulting in forced load-shedding of electricity.
Due to hours long load-shedding in the whole province including Peshawar, the life of the citizens has been badly affected.
According to the business community, owing to the non-supply of electricity during commercial hours by PESCO, the business has been severely affected and the electricity bills have also increased the difficulties of the businessmen.
According to the traders, despite production exceeding the demand for electricity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there is no electricity supply to the province due to which industry, commercial centres and common people are facing serious problems.
