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Energy crisis strike back: Power breakdown.

By Rozeena Gillani

With drying of sea water, touching of oil prices to its peak, damaging of roads and streets, disappearing of electricity in cities is clearly giving idea of present condition of Pakistan. According to revolutionary Russian leader Lenin defined socialism as, “the electrifician of the whole country and the transfer of power to the people’s representatives” (cited by Kabir, 2002). For revolutionary development of any country, it is important that the country should be electrifying. As all industries and business which help to rise economy of country depends on energy in one form or another. Since many years, the looming energy crisis in Pakistan has covered us like spider net but, in recent months it has been increased and got a massive shape that could damage the economy and autonomy of the country. According to one report in The News, “this summer, the country faced an electricity deficit of over 2,500 megawatts (MW) … it is feared that by 2010 the gap between demand and supply could reach up to 8,000 MW” (Asif, 2007). Breakdown of power supply to cities has devastating effects on economical and social aspects of country, which could reduce by some strategies and principles.

According to environment report given by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (2005), “Pakistan has 18 gigawatts of electric generating capacity.” This power generating capacity has been increased in few years with aids of foreign investors. Blackouts and transmission losses are still in tradition in some areas due to inefficient quality of infrastructure, illegal power supply (Kunda system), water shortage, poor co-ordination between power supply agencies, extraneous electricity decoration. There are only two main state-owned power sector in Pakistan i.e. Water and Power Supply Authority (WAPDA) and Karachi Electricity Supply Cooperation (KESC). Cooperation of these two sectors makes electricity able to transmit and distribute in all region of Pakistan. In recent days, WAPDA suspended electrical supply to KESC because of some payments issue which created big chaos in different cities.

Illegal power theft in the form of “kundas” is very common in many part of country, especially in site-areas of cities. KESC has no mechanism for taking objection for such practice that has been generating a lot of problems for cooperation and consumers as well. The looming of kunda system is not only causing extra load on power lines but also leading to power breakdown on large scale.

While the world is moving one step a head with lots of changing, we are taking our steps backward without resolving these issues which effects on country’s economy. Firstly, the long hour’s power breakdown and gas failures are causing large-scale destruction on domestic and industrial level. The flaming of this issue can easily understand by those who have suffered scorching summers without having fan and shivering in cold nights without having gas heaters. Rotating load shedding which prolonged from eight to eighteen hours is not only punishing domestic life of common man but also striking hard on industries and business by stopping electrical machine’s activity and productivity. As Haq (2008) said, “the two main power transmission lines were blown up in January 2008 in Sind, creating a shortfall of 1,000 MW. The business community complained that lopsided and unplanned shutdowns have resulted in closures in almost all industries”. Mainly, cottage industries are most affected by electricity breakdown because products don’t get ready on deadlines and delivery of products cannot be possible on time which made losses for cottage industries and ultimate create unemployment in country.

Secondly, the packages of high prices are coming in the form of UPS and generators to beat electricity failures. After getting exhausted with power failures, panic consumers usually end up with buying these products on high selling price. This is not the end of story, in-fact these generators use extra fuel and oil which again creating problem for country because oil crisis is also present in Pakistan which again impacting on economy. Unfortunately, these UPS can’t stand longer against electricity failure and end up with six to eight hours of continuous battle. Thirdly, those export materials which need cold temperature to be maintaining i.e. fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, sea foods, milk and milk products get soiled and rotten with not getting enough temperature to maintain their freshness. The hide and seek game of electricity has highly negative impact on economical condition of Pakistan.

The traumatized power failure is influencing its destructive effect on person’s social life. Firstly, it is altering polite person into impolite one, soft spoken into harsh & rude one. In short, people are reacting against their personality due to stress, frustration and depression. People who were accepting bashes and failures of life as a part of their normal routine is now aggravated with addition of one more stressor i.e. electricity crisis. Secondly, electricity crisis also causing demolished effects on riots of cities. According to one report given by City pulse, The News, “the electricity crisis in Karachi is causing much resentment, unrest in some areas; people's reaction has turned ugly, burning KESC vans, beating employees at complaint centers and other disruptive activities in the area where electricity was off 8 to 9 hours” (Jaffri, 2007). People assumed that the reason behind electricity crisis seems to be bad planning, negligence and incompetent workers and officers. That is why public wants to relax their anger by harming those government servants.
Electricity breakdown has been a great issue for every Pakistani in today’s time. To meet the future demand of energy and power, research and development committee has to follow some strategies. Firstly, Government authorities should introduce energy conservation appliances which consume minimum energy than usual appliances. Secondly, it is worth noting that most of power losses occurred through hanging wires and poor quality wires which resist power supplies. Experts should work for infrastructure in which underground wiring or underground fibers should use for electrical supplies. It is a long term goal which requires proper planning and cooperation from different private and government agencies.

Thirdly, the power thefts (kundas) are trouble makers for other consumers so, electricity suppliers i.e. KESC & WAPDA should find out the barriers which hinder mission against power theft. The successful mission on power thieves will not only make more energy available and reducing frequent load shedding but also help in identifying corrupted people in the country. Fourthly, major industrials should take some step to produce their own electricity to lessen burden on unreliable and inadequate power supply but also relieving factor for national grid as well. Lastly, many countries are using nuclear energy to power production. In report of Energy Information Administration, it was informed that, “USA produces about 15 per cent of its electricity supply from 132 nuclear reactors” (cited by Kabir, 2002). Power production from tidal energy, wind turbines, solar energy can also use as one of the alternatives. Pakistan needs to adopt one of the power generating technologies which will give opportunity to technological research to learn from other’s experiments.

To conclude, electricity failure has become a nightmare situation for various cities of Pakistan e.g. Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore and many other. The electricity failure is not because of only inadequate supply of electricity but also it’s because of dishonest policies and corruption in our government sectors. Electricity crisis is also rising due to wastage of energy on unnecessary events like marriages and Jalsa. Initially, it was limited to 2 – 3 hours of load shedding but since last two months, it has been taking place for 6- 12 hours without any earlier notice which makes it more irritating. Industries can’t achieve their targets on time and become blacklisted for delayed assignments due to extend load shedding. Societies are also facing various electricity created problem which include riots and protest. The above mentioned statistics are eye opener for whole nation and demand a combined effort from stakeholders, scientists, industrialist, socialist, politicians, policy makers and others to save energy or discover alternatives for our better future. Hence, electricity breakdown has become a major threat to Pakistan’s economical and social life which can overcome by proper planning and adaptation of some strategies.