PSPCL calls for 3-hr power cut
every day

Weekly off-day for industrial consumers also planned in state of

Punjab
YOGINDRA MOHAN

Patiala

The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has sought permission from the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) to impose a daily 3-hour power cut in summer on the domestic consumers and weekly off for the industrial units.

Authoritative sources in the PSPCL told Daily Post that the PSPCL in its petition had maintained that the demand always outpaced the supply of power and the gap was 27.59 per cent during peak hours. The demand of power also varies depending on the season.

The average daily power demand in the State varies approximately between 1018 lakh units (LU) to 1950 LU. The daily power shortage may vary between 189 LUs to 17 LUs depending upon weather.

The PSPCL has proposed to bridge the demand and supply gap by imposing various regulatory measures on all the categories of consumers in an equitable manner.

The above gap between the demand and the supply is based on the assumption that all the plants will generate scheduled power and the commissioning of new projects is as per schedule. The daily power drawl by the industry under open access has been assessed at 150 LU.

From the new projects, Punjab expects power from Mundra (UMPP), Talwandi Sabo unit 1, Rihand III, Parbati III, Chamera III, Uri III, Pragati III and Koteshwar.

Mundra is expected to supply 95 MW in April and May and 190 MW from June onwards. Talwandi Sabo is likely to supply 522 MW from January next. The additional power availability will be between 200 MW to 339 MW between April to December.

Last year, the maximum power demand in the State was 10471 MW and this year it is likely to touch 11000 MW with a minimum 5 per cent increase in the demand. The power available from all the sources would be 7600 MW, thus leaving a gap of 3400 MW.

The average daily demand in July will be 1959 LU against the possible supply of 1762 LU thus leaving a gap of 189 LU.

Minimum power cuts on domestic sector to the tune of 2.45 hours a day is a necessity.

Besides this, a weekly off on industrial consumers and arc furnaces will also save 40 LU per day.