J&K faces power cut as state fails to meet increased demand

Jammu: With the sweltering heat taking its toll on people in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir’s Power Development Department (PDD) is battling hard to meet the increased demand for electricity as the consumption has raised above 800 MW. “Last year we were supplying around 650 MW of electricity, this year we have increased it by 100 MW to 750 MW. But there is huge increase in the demand,” PDD Chief Engineer Shenaz Goni told PTI on unscheduled power outages and fluctuation in the city’s power supply. [caption id=“attachment_862311” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] She added that due to increase in temperature there was a steep rise in the load, which has led to damage of transformers, further worsening the supply mechanism in the area. “Due to high temperature the load has also increased. The maximum demand which we have met this season so far is 822 MW, as compared to the 694 MW catered last year. There are system constraints. The system is not able to carry the increased load,” she said, adding that the Department was supplying additional 30 lakh units per day this summer. Goni added that they have to also keep a tab on the electricity drawn from the Northern grid, as they are forced for power cuts once they excede the limit. Asked what was the remedy for all this, as it was just the beginning of the summer, the officer said that there was a need to augment the system in place. “We will have to augment the system as per the increased demand,” she said. Jammu has witnessed regular protests over the power cuts in the city as people have been forced to suffer because of high temperatures since last few weeks. The maximum which the city witnessed this season so far was 45.8 degree Celsius. Goni, though, mentioned that the government was looking forward to spend nearly Rs 600 crore to update the system in Jammu under the centre sponsored Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RADPRP). “We will be spending around Rs 600 crore under RADPRP in Jammu alone. All these things will be taken care of,” Goni said. PTI