Riyaz Bhat
Srinagar, Feb 29: Amid frequent power outages and distress cuts across Kashmir valley, Kashmir Power Developed Corporation Limited (KPDCL) Thursday said that it was facing power shortage of nearly 400 Megawatts (MWs).
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer, top official of KPDCL said that the DISCOM was facing dearth of power.
Asked about the long durational power curtailments and unscheduled power cuts, the official said that there was a huge power shortage in Kashmir. “As of now, sufficient power is not available with us. Currently, KPDCL is reeling under shortage of electricity.”
The official said, “There is a shortage of nearly 300-400 Mega Watts. In view of the power shortage, there may be some areas in Kashmir who would be facing distress cuts and unscheduled outage.”
Earlier this week, the Power Development Department had informed KNO that it had sorted the power outage matter which its consumers were facing from past weeks.
Besides, it also informed that it was revising the load curtailment program to minimise distress power cuts.
A senior KPDCL official said that despite the shortage in the availability of power, they are trying to streamline the supply and steps are afoot to improve the situation. “We are at it. Hopefully supply will be better ahead of the fasting month of Ramadhan,” he said, and refused to elaborate further.
PDD Principal Secretary H Rajesh Prasad had said that the department was focusing on streaming the high loss making feeders where AT&C losses are high because of the power theft.
Prasad said, “We are trying to make some restrictions out there to minimise the losses. We have some feeders where the losses are very high and in those areas will have some extra power curtailments.”
On asking about the unscheduled power cuts in some metered areas, the Principal Secretary said, “We have even detected the losses in metered areas too and I have issued strict actions to the concerned officials to lookout in this regard. Losses in metered areas are not acceptable at all.”
About the unscheduled power cuts and extra curtailments in almost majority of the areas in Kashmir, Prasad had informed that due to the recent snowfall, the electricity load has increased.
“Power demand has increased post snowfall. Our supply position remains the same,” he said.
When asked about any change in the power generation, the Principal Secretary had informed that it has not changed. “The power procurement from the centre and the local power generation remains the same.”—(KNO)
