Demand up, PSPCL resorts to power cuts ahead of peak season

Aman Sood

Patiala, March 2

With the power demand during February this year increasing by around 19 per cent as compared with the figure for the same month last year, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has been imposing unscheduled power cuts in many cities and villages.

Production curtailed

• The demand of power in the state has gone up by around 19% while the production is curtailed due to which the state is facing a daily power shortage of 20 to 33 lakh units
• It has become unviable for the power utility to buy power from the national exchange at high rates (up to Rs 12 per unit) and then provide it free of cost to the consumers

With prevailing high rates of power at the energy exchange and curtailed generation, the PSPCL is resorting to power cuts ranging from an hour to two hours to meet the demand ahead of the peak summer season. The power demand is expected to rise further over the next few months.

On February 27, the maximum power demand in the state was 7,260 MW, which was 20 per cent more than the figure for the same date last year. On February 28, the maximum power demand was 6,266 MW, around 7 per cent more than the figure for the same date last year.

“We have decided to impose power cuts in areas that witness maximum power theft. Such areas will continue to face maximum cuts,” said a senior PSPCL engineer.

“Maximum power theft is reported in the border zone of Taran Tarn, Amritsar, Bhikhiwind, Patti and Ferozepur, etc. The power cuts in these areas will be of longer duration as compared with other areas,” he added.

“The state is facing a daily power shortage of 20 to 33 lakh units due to curtailed availability. Therefore, power cuts are the only option left,” said a top official.

“As the power demand across central India has gone up, the rates on the Indian Energy Exchange Limited (IEX) remain around Rs 12 per unit during morning and evening hours,” he said.

A senior official, who directly monitors the daily power scenario, said it had become unviable to buy power from the IEX at such high rates and then provide it free of cost to the consumers. “Around 90 per cent of the total 74 lakh domestic consumers in Punjab are getting ‘zero bills’ and thus subsidy bills are rising,” he said.

“The Central Government rules restrict power purchase and sale, if discoms fail to clear the dues in time. Without money, we will have to raise loans to buy power during the summer season. The situation will turn alarming during the paddy sowing season from June onwards,” say PSPCL insiders.