Residents and traders in Shangla have voiced growing concern over prolonged electricity outages during rainfall, saying power breakdowns lasting up to 20 hours have become a recurring problem across the district. Heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds that swept through Alpurai and adjoining areas on Friday once again disrupted electricity supply on several feeders. While power on the Alpuri feeder was restored late at night, consumers connected to other feeders remained without electricity until Saturday.
Impact on Daily Life and Business
Residents said the outages were causing severe hardship for households, businesses and students, particularly during the summer months. They attributed the delays in restoring supply to a shortage of technical staff and the absence of a dedicated emergency response team in the district. The complaints have intensified despite the recent completion of a transmission line linked to the Shangla Grid Station at Kotkay, a project that had raised hopes of improved reliability. However, residents claim that major feeders continue to trip whenever moderate rainfall occurs, resulting in lengthy shutdowns.
Paradox of a Power-Producing District
Local traders and community representatives noted that Shangla generates an estimated 85 megawatts of electricity through its hydropower resources, while its own consumption is said to be significantly lower. They questioned why a power-producing district continues to experience frequent and prolonged outages. Business owners say the disruptions are affecting commercial activity and causing financial losses. They have urged WAPDA and the provincial and federal governments to establish a permanent fault-response team in Shangla to ensure quicker restoration of electricity and improve service reliability.
Community Leaders Warn of Growing Frustration
Community leaders warned that public frustration would continue to grow unless practical measures were taken to address the district’s longstanding power supply problems. The outages have become a major source of discontent, with residents demanding immediate action to prevent further disruptions.
