Lahore, Pakistan’s vibrant city, continues to grapple with power outages despite a decrease in electricity demand attributed to pleasant weather conditions. The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) has recently implemented a load management program, resulting in scheduled power cuts of varying durations throughout the city. Unfortunately, consumers have reported deviations from the announced schedule, with some enduring up to five hours of blackouts. This article delves into the details of the ongoing power crisis in Lahore, examining the loadshedding plan, industry exemptions, and consumer concerns.
Load Management Program:
Lesco has classified consumers into four categories based on their electricity usage and observed technical and commercial losses (AT&C). This categorization helps determine the duration of planned loadshedding for each group.
Category I & II: Consumers with up to 20% AT&C losses experience two hours of daily outages, divided into two one-hour blocks.
Category III: Consumers with higher AT&C losses face three hours of daily outages, allocated into three one-hour blocks.
Category IV: Consumers falling into this category endure four hours of planned loadshedding every day, distributed across four one-hour intervals.
Decreased Demand, Increased Outages:
Despite a decline in electricity demand due to lower temperatures, Lesco decided to resume planned outages after a temporary halt. The current power supply stands at 3,400-3,500MW, while the demand ranges from 3,800-3,900MW. Lesco’s load management program is designed to address a maximum power demand of 4,026MW.
Industry Exemptions Withdrawn:
The loadshedding situation has worsened for the industrial sector, as exemptions from power cuts have been withdrawn. Previously, certain industry feeders enjoyed uninterrupted power supply, but they are now subjected to two hours of loadshedding each day. This change has raised concerns among business owners, who rely heavily on consistent electricity supply for their operations.
Consumer Complaints:
Deviations from Schedule: Despite the announced load management program, consumers have reported instances of loadshedding lasting up to five hours, exceeding the designated time slots. This inconsistency has disrupted daily routines and caused inconvenience for residents and businesses alike.
Unannounced Outages:
In addition to scheduled loadshedding, unannounced power outages continue to haunt consumers. These unplanned disruptions create further uncertainty and hinder the ability to make necessary arrangements during blackouts.
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Lesco’s Response:
A Lesco official stated that efforts were being made to minimize the duration of loadshedding, primarily targeting high losses feeders. The official maintained that loadshedding was being carried out on a limited basis, and improvements would be made when there is ample generation capacity. However, concerns persist regarding the adherence to the designated schedule and the impact on consumers.
Lahore’s power crisis persists despite a reduction in electricity demand attributed to favorable weather conditions. Lesco’s load management program, while attempting to address the situation, has faced challenges in its implementation. The withdrawal of industry exemptions has compounded the issues faced by businesses, while deviations from the announced schedule and unannounced outages have added to the frustration of consumers. With ongoing efforts to minimize outages and improve generation capacity, it is hoped that the power situation in Lahore will stabilize soon, providing residents and businesses with a reliable electricity supply once again.
