Karachi, March 21, 2020: K-Electric remains committed to ensuring customer support in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. In order to ensure continuity of services to customers, KE’s field teams will continue to be on-ground to ensure the city of Karachi stays powered up. However, in light of stringent Government directives to minimize non-essential human interaction and to ensure the health and well-being of employees, the power utility has taken the decision to reduce its staff to essential only and to shut down its physical Customer Care Centers (CCC) for one week, or until further notice.
Furthermore, to facilitate the public during this period of social distancing the power utility has also suspended annual preventive maintenance (APM) and other shutdowns, until further notice. KE aims to provide uninterrupted power supply barring unforeseen faults and breakdowns. Our field staff will be available to deal with these eventualities as swiftly as possible. Meanwhile, KE has increased the number of alternate touch-points and customers are urged to contact the power utility by accessing the KE website at www.ke.com.pk or by calling the 24/7 call center on 118.
According to a KE spokesperson, “We are fully cognizant that electricity is an essential service, and has become even more critical at this time when residents are being asked to practice social distancing. K-Electric is committed to playing its due role in the fight against COVID-19, and will continue to stand by the city and its residents in these trying times. At the same time, the health and safety of KE employees as well as customers is our primary concern. Under the circumstances pertaining to Coronavirus, we have scaled down our work-force at critical operational sites including power stations, load-dispatch centers our call center. We request customers that in light of the developing situation, only complaints related to emergencies, safety and technical issues be raised at this time to ensure priority resolution.”
The power utility is working in close coordination with the Government of Sindh to ensure uninterrupted power supply to essential sites such as hospitals, health & rescue services, water pumping stations and key government functions. Responding to a request of support to Corona facilities by the District Administration, a number of hospitals that have been put on high alert in relation to COVID-19 to provide immediate treatment have been declared exempt from load-shed by the power utility.
K-Electric lauds the fact that employees who will be coming in to work to operate essential services and infrastructure also have families, but will continue to discharge their duties to ensure that Karachi and its citizens have power during this crisis. The power utility requests that we support them in this effort along with all the other committed individuals such as doctors, nurses, law enforcement, members of rescue teams and other critical functions who are discharging their duties at great personal risk.
Customers are requested to get registered with KE, by texting REG(space)[your 13 digit A/C #] and send this SMS to 8119 for power updates about their areas, or to use the KE Live mobile app which is a self-service solution.