Twenty linemen from Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) on Thursday completed a Quick Impact Lineman Training program under USAID’s Power Distribution Project.
This training equipped the linemen with skills and new procedures including CPR, first aid, pole top rescue, and modern grounding. USAID Provincial Director for Punjab Jeffrey N. Bakken and Director of the Energy Office Melissa Knight awarded training completion certificates to the linemen, who will now be able to save lives in the workplace.
Knight remarked, “The U.S. Government has a history of supporting the Pakistani power sector. In the 1960s and 1970s, the United States supported construction of such major power plants as Tarbela and Mangla. In the ‘80s and ‘90s we worked together to build the Guddu power plant, helped Pakistan carry out its rural electrification plans, and provided training to energy sector specialists.” She also said she deeply admired the bravery of climbing linemen, who are at risk of being electrocuted, falling off poles, and suffering other serious injuries, including amputations and head and spinal injuries. This programme has already trained more than 500 linemen to save lives in a hazardous work environment. The four and a half year USAID Power Distribution Programme was announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009 as part of American efforts to support the Government of Pakistan in reforming the power sector and mitigating the current energy crisis.
