The woes that K-Electric is inflicting on the people of Karachi are years old. And it seems that they are not subsiding anytime soon. The two most persistent issues that the people complain about are unannounced power outages and overbilling. While some of the people may forgive overbilling, what no one is going to tolerate is load shedding which continues for twelve hours a day. Only last month, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) ensured people were probing the matter and bringing the reasons for load shedding before the public.

But the situation remains the same, even after the so-called initiation of an investigation. The public is least interested in knowing the reasons for power cuts. What they demand is a constant supply of electricity. And this is what NEPRA should assist the K-Electric in. According to an official of the electric supply company, the reason for the load shedding is an inconsistent supply of furnace oil, which is affecting the electricity production potential at the company’s power plants.

However, blaming the irregular supply of fuel for electricity production is a flimsy argument. This is what we have been hearing as the leading reason for electricity shortage for years. Why has K-Electric been unable to sort it out, as it is not a one-time issue, is the real question that the company needs to answer. What excuse is K-Electric coming up with for the technical fault in one of the power plants? There are none left. K-Electric must acknowledge its shortcomings. The real problems with the company are mismanagement and poor governance. The shortfall is almost 900 megawatts (MW). The federal government must come into action to provide people with some respite amid the unbearable weather and COVID-19.