QUETTA: Widespread power outages hit the provincial capital over the weekend after heavy rainfall on Saturday caused technical faults in multiple 11kV feeders across different areas, the Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) confirmed.
According to a QESCO spokesperson, the inclement weather triggered faults that forced the suspension of electricity supply to several parts of the city. QESCO teams were immediately deployed in the field to address the issues. Restoration efforts began cautiously on Saturday evening once the rain stopped and weather conditions improved, with safety as the top priority. By Sunday night, power had been restored to all affected feeders, with partial supply reinstated to some areas earlier in the process.
The spokesperson detailed that full restoration was a phased operation. Work continued through Sunday morning to address the remaining faults, and by Sunday evening, all feeders in the city were operational, with normal electricity supply resumed across all connected areas.
The utility explained that delays in restoring power to a few specific feeders were primarily due to safety challenges posed by encroachments. In densely populated neighborhoods, consumers had built structures too close to QESCO poles, forcing crews to work with extreme caution to avoid accidents while repairing the lines.
QESCO has formally apologized to its consumers for the inconvenience caused by the rain-induced outages. The company also issued a public safety appeal, urging all consumers to maintain a safe distance from electricity poles and infrastructure, especially during rainy seasons, to prevent dangerous incidents and ensure quicker restoration times in future disruptions.
Earlier s the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has launched a scathing critique against the worsening electricity crisis in the province, condemning the prolonged and frequent power outages that have paralyzed daily life following recent rains.
In a strongly-worded statement, BAP’s central spokesperson and former Interior Minister, Mir Ziaullah Lango, expressed deep anger and concern over what he described as the “worst declared and undeclared load-shedding” in Quetta and across Balochistan. He demanded the federal government take immediate and serious notice of the continuous power failures.
