ISLAMABAD  – After facing unprecedented loadshedding in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, residents are now suffering from low-power voltage causing inconvenience to them.
Complaints were reported that electric appliances are not working with full capacity and sometimes they run out of order as a result of low voltage. People from various parts of the two cities have reported that in the sizzling heat their air conditioning units, room coolers and refrigerators have not been working due to low power supply.
“I obtained the service of an electrician who told me that the level of electricity I received in my house was 170 to 180 volts instead of 220 volts,” said Jawad Khan, a resident of Gulzar-e-Quaid, a residential locality near Benazir International Airport. He said due to low voltage even cell phone batteries could not be charged.
Rafiq Hussain, who lives in Sector G-9, also complained that one can distinguish the performance of an electric appliance during power load shedding from an appliance during normal supply. “We have noticed that our ceiling fans rotate faster on uninterruptible power supply (UPS) than on normal electric supply. This shows that a UPS produces full 220 volts during load shedding, increasing an electric appliance’s performance.”
However, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) denied that there was any complaint of low voltage in the two cities.
“We have not received any such complaint in any part of the two cities,” the Iesco’s spokesman Farooq Ahmed said. He said the use of air conditioners, fans, fridges, deep freezers, water dispensers and coolers increased in the summer, and this is why the existing production of electricity cannot cater to the population’s demand.
Meanwhile, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) on Friday issued power suspension programme for various areas due to necessary maintenance and routine development work. According to IESCO spokesman, power supply of the areas falling under the following Grid Station/feeders would remain suspended:
July 6 (Friday): From 6am to 9am, Best Way Cement Factory, C.S Shah, From 5am to 1pm, Dhurnal feeder, D.S Bilawal
July 9 (Monday): From 7am to 12pm, Tench Bhatta feeder, Capt. Aamir feeder, Radio Pakistan feeder, Azizabad feeder, Tench Bhatta, Radio Pakistan, Dk. Syedan, Azizabad and Surrounding area From 8am to 11am, Industrial-II feeder (Flour Mills) From 10am to 2am, Shah Allah Ditta feeder, Paswal feeder, Auxillary feeder, Paswal, Sang Jani, Shah Allah Ditta.
July 7-9 (Saturday-Monday): From 7am to 11am, Peshawar Road feeder, Millatabad feeder, Peshawar Road, Chour Chowk, Millatabad.
July 10 (Tuesday) From 7am to 11am, Saghri feeder, K/Syedan feeder, Redco Feeder, Saghri, Mankiala, Bashndot, Kallar Syedan & Redco. From 6pm to 10pm, Old Exchange feeder, New United Steel feeder, Old United Steel feeder.