Punjab Newsline P
No power cuts in Punjab, shutdown due to maintenance: PSEB
GAGANDEEP AHUJA
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
PATIALA: Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) on Tuesday clarified that there was no power cuts in state but for repairing transmission lines there was selective shut down.The reports of power cuts were coming from various parts of the state.

Spokesman of PSEB said this was necessitated due to provide reliable and uninterrupted power to farmers during Paddy season. Board has been repairing transmission Lines/Distribution Lines for routine maintenance of Sub Stations and it was a necessity because working on live wires can be fatal. Board has to take routine shut downs of transmission lines and Grid substations which results in disruption of power supply in that area for few hours, spokesman added.

Spokesman further added that it was clarified that such routine shutdowns for maintenance should not be considered as power cuts. Board hopes that its esteemed consumers will understand the importance of providing uninterrupted power supply to farmers in Paddy season and bear with shutdowns for maintenance so that Reliable power supply can be provided in summer/paddy season.

Spokesman said that Board has been giving better performance able to provide uninterrupted & reliable power supply to its consumers in this summer so far. On the other hand neighbouring states are reeling under huge power cuts.

Meanwhile information gathered by the pioneer suggested that Haryana electricity consumers are facing 3.30Hours daily power cuts. There have been two hours daily power cuts in Big cities and 6 hours daily power cuts in Rural areas in Rajasthan. Similarly in Uttar Pradesh big cities are facing 4 hours, smaller cities 8 hours and Rural areas are facing 12 hours daily power cuts.

Power availability in Punjab on May 18 was 1235LUs whereas it was 1060LUs on the same day last year and as such there have been no power cuts imposed on any category on consumers so far. The availability of power has been 132LUs from own Hydro Plants which was 102LUs last year. Similarly there has been increase of Power from 392LUs to 493LUs from own Thermal Units. BBMB’s share increased from 118LUs on this day last year to 138LUs this year and NRSE sources provided 12LUs as compared to 6LUs last year. However PSEB received lesser electricity from Central sector projects which decreased from 507LUs last year to 460LUs this year.