The electrical connection from Iran was disconnected in the districts of Makran and restored after 24 hours of complete blackout in the region.

24-hour blackout:

After a complete 24-hour blackout in Makran, the electrical connection was completely restored on Sunday. Gwadar, Turbat, and Panjgur were the regions that were affected by the power outage. The electricity supply was cut off when two 132kV transmission lines from Iran stopped working. These lines supply power to the Makran division, which is not connected to Pakistan’s national grid. The blackout had left the entire region in darkness on Saturday.

Dependence on Iran for Power supply:

Unlike other areas of Pakistan, Makran is not linked to the national power grid. The region has a scattered population across long distances, thus making it difficult and expensive to set up a local power network. Pakistan imports electricity from Iran under long-term agreements. This power supply is crucial for keeping homes, hospitals, and businesses running in the coastal areas of Balochistan.

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Iranian authorities contacted:

Pakistani officials contacted the Iranian Power Agency after a complete blackout in the districts of Makran. Iranian officials confirmed that the disturbance in the power failure is from their side, and they are continuously working to resolve the issue. However, their struggles bore fruit, and the power supply was restored on Sunday.

Official statement from QESCO:

In a press release, the Qesco spokesperson said, “The power supply was restored after fixing the fault on the Iranian side. All grid stations are now receiving electricity again.” QESCO also thanked the people of Makran for their patience during the outage.

Importance of power in the region:

The power supply in the districts of Makran is very crucial. The power failure, though, not only affected these districts but also affected the Gwadar Deep Sea Port and the New Gwadar International Airport. The port and the airport are very crucial for Pakistan’s economic progress. When such important infrastructure loses power, economic activity suffers, and communication systems are disrupted. It shows how essential a stable power supply is for the region.

Need for long-term power solutions:

The 24-hour blackout once again raised questions about Makran’s heavy reliance on imported electricity. Since the area isn’t connected to the national grid, any issue on the Iranian side can leave the entire region powerless. Experts believe Pakistan should consider long-term solutions such as extending the national grid to cover Makran, building local solar or wind power stations, and improving the existing backup systems.