On Monday, several areas of Karachi, Pakistan were plunged into darkness after a high tension (HT) transmission cable tripped due to a technical fault. The outage reportedly affected around 40 percent of the city, leaving many residents without power for hours. According to the News, the fault occurred all of a sudden and efforts were immediately underway to rectify the issue. However, due to the severity of the problem, it took several hours for the power to be restored in some areas.
Residents of the affected areas were left stranded without electricity, with many businesses and households forced to close for the day. The outage also caused traffic jams and chaos on the city’s streets, as traffic signals and streetlights were rendered useless.
The incident highlights the urgent need for investment in Pakistan’s electricity infrastructure to prevent such outages from occurring in the future. It also underscores the importance of maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure to ensure the uninterrupted supply of electricity to the population.
Power outages are not uncommon in Pakistan, where the electricity infrastructure is not capable. Karachi, being the country’s largest city and economic hub, is particularly susceptible to power outages due to the high electricity demand.
Power outages are common due to a number of factors, including a lack of investment in electricity infrastructure, outdated technology, and mismanagement of the sector.
A big reason for power outages in Pakistan is the insufficient investment in the electricity infrastructure. The country’s electricity infrastructure is outdated and unable to keep up with the increasing demand for power, particularly during peak hours. As a result, the system becomes overloaded, and power outages occur.
Another contributing factor is the mismanagement of the electricity sector in Pakistan. The electricity distribution companies are plagued by corruption, inefficiency, and poor governance, which have led to frequent power outages. The companies often fail to collect revenue, resulting in a lack of funds for maintenance and upgrades to the infrastructure.
Pakistan also relies heavily on non-renewable sources of energy, such as oil and gas, to generate electricity. These sources are not only expensive but also subject to price fluctuations in the international market, which can lead to power outages when the government is unable to afford the necessary fuel.