LAHORE: Residents across several parts of Lahore faced prolonged power outages as technical faults and transformer failures disrupted the electricity distribution system of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) during the ongoing heatwave.
According to sources, LESCO's transmission and distribution network has come under increased pressure due to soaring temperatures, leading to a noticeable rise in transformer breakdowns across the city.
Despite claims that system upgrades and maintenance work had been carried out during the winter season, technical faults have become increasingly common, resulting in hours-long electricity outages in several neighbourhoods. In some cases, damaged transformers had not been replaced even after two days, residents said.
Areas affected by overnight power cuts included Aamir Town, Shahdara, Rana Town, Gulshan Ravi, Samanabad, Mustafa Abad, Syed Pur, Qila Mohammadi, Bata Pur, Sahafi Colony, Mughalpura, and Taj Bagh, among others.
Sources said many consumers complained that LESCO staff stopped responding to phone calls after transformers developed faults, while the utility's helpline also failed to provide timely assistance.
Residents further alleged that after registering complaints, they received automated messages confirming power restoration even though electricity had not actually been restored.
According to sources, electricity demand in the LESCO region stood at 3,720 megawatts (MW) during daytime hours, compared with the company's allocated quota of 3,750 MW.
LESCO is currently receiving around 3,550 MW of electricity. Despite the relatively small gap between demand and available supply, consumers continue to experience unannounced load shedding and prolonged outages, with technical failures cited as the primary cause.