September 10, 2004
KARACHI: Almost half of the city plunged into darkness on Friday evening after the Bin Qasim Thermal Power Station of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) developed a fault, resulting in an acute power shortage of 1,000 MW.
Official sources said the fault developed about 6.15pm in the main extra high-tension (EHT) line of the Korangi West Grid due to which power supply from the Bin Qasim station suspended immediately. The cut-off resulted in a power shortage of 1,000 MW. Almost the entire defunct South district, including Defence, Clifton, II Chundrigar Road, Old City Areas, Garden, Soldier Bazaar, Lasbella, and parts of Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Federal B Area, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir Cantt and other areas, were affected by the breakdown.
Affected people suspected that the power breakdown was a result of a sabotage activity. They said that whenever they contacted KESC’s complaint centres to inquire about the causes of the breakdown, the staff failed to cite reasons and timing of restoring the power supply. The power outage also hit flow of traffic on the roads, arteries and thoroughfares, as the traffic signals went off, leaving the traffic in complete disarray.
When contacted, a KESC spokesman said power supply was restored after two hours and the system was normalised about 9.15pm. However, many people complained that power supply to their localities, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Federal B Area, Burns Road, was not restored till late night.
Official sources said the exact reason and location of the fault could not be ascertained so far, as rehabilitating and restoring electricity was being done on priority. However, they ruled out any subversive act behind the breakdown.
http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en71597&F_catID=&f_type=source
http://www.wtnh.com/global/story.asp?s=2282888&ClientType=Printable