Punjab feeling the pinch of unscheduled power cuts

21 June, 2012

Punjab is facing both scheduled and unscheduled power cuts despite the governments declaration that this summer will be power cut free. So people in Punjab are feeling the pinch of unscheduled power cuts in the hot summer as power demand has exceeded power supply.

THE CLOSURE of the Ropar thermal plant 210 MW unit on boiler leakage for the fourth time in this month has worsened the power position of Punjab and people are facing long unscheduled power cuts.

The power demand in state has crossed 2100 lac units (LU) whereas supply is 1920 LU. The daily power shortage is 185 LU but evening peak load shortage is more than 1570 MW. Officially, the power cuts in district headquarters is 3 hours but practically it is more than 5 hours. Even in major cities unscheduled power cuts belie the claims of one hour power cut.

The power situation in rural areas is worse. Notwithstanding official claim of 6 to 8 hour supply for agriculture sector in two installments, villagers hardly get 6 hour supply. The official cuts in rural areas are 5.5 hours. The overloading of transmission lines often leads to tripping from local sub-stations.

The 2-day weekly off for furnace and heavy industries, and one-day industrial off for general industries is already in place. Three-hour peak load restrictions have also been implemented.

The thermal plants of the state produced 475 LU on June 20 as unit no. 1 of Ropar thermal is down due to boiler leakage. Officials hide frequent trippings of units due to boiler leakage after recent maintenance on old age of units.

The states own generation is 830 LU from thermal and hydro units. The power purchase from different sources is 970 LU which includes 209 LU from NTPC and 119 LU from NHPC. The short term purchases are 490 LU.