Islamabad – Secretary Water and Power Younas Dagha disclosed that the nation-wide power breakdown occurred because of a terrorist attack in Balochistan where “insurgents” destroyed two power supply towers on Och-Sibi transmission line; it was third such attack in the last 12 days in the same area.
The secretary said in the first incident on January 13 three towers of Guddu-Sibbi transmission line were blown up and the attack caused Uch Power Plant of 800-900mw to trip. “It is the plant from where power is supplied not only to entire Balochistan but also major parts of Pakistan,” he added.
Mr Dagha said a double-circuit transmission line was immediately restored and the national grid had survived any major accident although Uch plant could not provide more than 600mw against its routine output of 800mw. “The system is still being repaired,” he said. The second incident took place on January 23 through which a 15-foot gas supply line of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) was blown up, he said, adding the OGDCL engineers restored the supply line rather quickly and the power supply was revived without affecting major parts of the country.
