Load Shading

Load Shading - Essay Outline

1. Introduction
2. Causes
3. A problem of developing countries
4. Condition in developed countries
5. Scheduled or abrupt load-shedding
6. Load-shedding in Pakistan
7. Conclusion

What is Load Shading

Load-shedding is the practice of stopping the supply of electricity for a period of time because the demand is greater than the supply. Load- shedding is a last-resort measure used by an electric utility company in order to avoid a total blackout of the power system. It is usually in response to a situation where the demand for electricity exceeds the power Supply capability of the network. Load-shedding may be localized to a specific part of the electricity network or may be more widespread and affect the entire country.

Cuases of Load Shading

Load-shedding generally results from two causes: insufficient generation capacity or inadequate transmission infrastructure to deliver sufficient power to the area where it is needed. Load-shedding is a common or even a normal daily event in many developing countries where electricity generation capacity is underfunded or infrastructure is poorly managed.

Demand and Supply of Electric Power

Load-shedding in developed countries is rare because demand is accurately forecasted, adequate infrastructure investment is scheduled and networks are well managed; such events are considered an unacceptable failure to plan and can cause significant political damage to the concerned governments.

Scheduled of Loadsheding

In well-managed under-capacity systems, load-shedding is scheduled in advance and advertised to allow people to work around them but in most cases, they happen without warning, typically whenever the transmission frequency falls below the safe limit.

Load Shading in Pakistan

Owing to a chronic shortage of electricity, power cuts are common throughout Pakistan, adversely affecting the country’s potential for economic growth. Even in provincial capitals. Load-shedding is common, especially during the hot summer season when demand far outstrips supply. Rural areas are the most severely affected; it is common for the rural households, having access to electricity, to lose power for more than 12 hours each day. This sorry state of affairs has created untold miseries for the workers and production sector.

Even protests, agitations, and strikes at a large scale could do nothing in this regard.

Electricity is the main power which makes a living in many fields. Many amenities of everyday life are directly linked with the supply of electricity. Unscheduled load-shedding always disturbs the normal pace of life beyond proportion. Load-shedding has far-reaching implications on the whole fabric of society. The government is facing a lot of protests across the country but admits that this problem cannot be solved overnight. Anyhow it must devise plans to address this problem urgently and permanently to save the nation from an economic collapse and irreparable loss.