Power supply 'fully restored' across country: energy ministry

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Energy said Thursday that the electricity transmission system was “fully restored” across Pakistan after a major 12-hour power breakdown, ARY News reported.

Taking to Twitter, the ministry said the disturbance in two 500kv lines in the south of Karachi was resolved. “Electricity supply is being increased from alternative power plants, which will return to normal by Friday morning,” the ministry tweeted.

بجلی کی ترسیل کا نظام پورے ملک میں مکمل بحال کر دیا گیا ہے
آج صبح کراچی کے جنوب میں 5سو کے-وی دو لائنوں میں آنے والےخلل کو دور کر دیا ہے
بجلی کے متبادل کارخانوں سے بجلی کی رسد بڑھائی جا رہی ہے جو کہ جمعتہ المبارک کی صبح تک معمول پر آجائے گی pic.twitter.com/NIRWaWc4Cz

— Ministry of Energy (@MoWP15) October 13, 2022

However, ARY News reported that power was still not restored to large parts of Karachi, including, Gulistan-e-Johar, Malir, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Landhi and several other areas.

نیشنل گرڈ کی جانب سے معمول میں کراچی کو دی جانے والی 1000 میگا واٹ بجلی کا قریباً نصف فراہم کر دیا گیا ہے

کراچی کو 1000 میگاواٹ انشاءاللہ اگلے چند گھنٹوں میں فراہم کر دیئے جائیں گے pic.twitter.com/ibgJyE8n7b

— Ministry of Energy (@MoWP15) October 13, 2022

In a statement, the K-Electric spokesperson said that the power supply to Karachi was restored in a phase-wise manner following tripping in the transmission lines of the National Grid on Thursday.

FAULT IN TRANSMISSION SYSTEM SUSPENDS POWER SUPPLY TO PARTS OF PAKISTAN

“KE teams began phase-wise restoration efforts with first priority to strategic installations such as KWSB pumping stations, Airport, and hospitals,” it added.

A major power breakdown was reported in southern parts of Pakistan, including Karachi, with Ministry of Energy attributing the major power breakdown to an “accidental fault” in the transmission system.

“Multiple power plants in south are tripping due to an accidental fault in the country’s southern transmission system, disrupting the supply of electricity to the country’s southern part,” the energy ministry said in a tweet.

High-level committee formed

The National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) on Thursday constituted a high-level inquiry committee to ascertain facts pertaining to the power outage impacting southern areas of the country.

According to the notification issued by the National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC), the committee will be headed by Muhammad Mustafa — Lahore general manager (technical) — and comprise Anwar Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Ijaz Khan, and Muhammad Zakar.

It stated that the committee will be required to determine the root cause of the default, ascertain if the faults leading to the blackout could have been prevented, verify if measures taken by concerned departments were adequate and fix responsibility on the person(s) involved in case any negligence is observed.