Good news for PSEB: despite long power cuts, a revenue jump of Rs 12 cr
Raakhi Jagga
Aug 26, 2009
Ludhiana
Despite imposing powercuts of more than eight hours in a day, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has a reason to rejoice. In June and July when summer was at its peak and powercuts were the norm, the Board still managed to generate an additional revenue of Rs 12 crore as compared to last year.
Last year, the Board had suffered losses of around 4 per cent as compared to 2007.

Residents have been taken by surprise because despite facing long powercuts, they received fat bills.

H S Randhawa, deputy chief engineer, said, “Whenever the power supply resumes, residents switch on all their gadgets especially ACs. This results in burning of more units.”

The figures received from the PSEB billing section reveal that in June 2008, the Board received a revenue of Rs 31 crore which increased to Rs 38 crore this year, thus, recording a growth of 23 per cent. However in July 2008, the revenue from bills was Rs 44 crore which increased by Rs 5 crore in July and hence giving a growth of 11 per cent to the department.

In all, if revenue of both months is clubbed together, the department earned Rs 75 crore in June-July 2008 which is Rs 87 crore during the same period this year, thus resulting in a jump of 16 per cent.

Owing to good monsoon last year, powercuts were not very harsh on the domestic and industrial sector.

This year, the industry had to observe up to three days compulsory weekly-offs and even arc induction furnaces were closed for nearly 10 days apart from 3-day weekly-offs.

PSEB experts, however, say that whenever there is less supply, anxious consumers use more electricity whenever it is available.

On normal days, when powercuts are less, ACs are not used much during the day but due to heavy powercuts, consumers keep ACs on as long as power is available.

Randhwa said, “Every day, consumers call me and want their bills to be re-checked. After checks, it is revealed that they had, in fact, consumed more power.”