Bathinda most hit by power failure
Saturday, 02/06/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120602/punjab.htm#2
Domestic consumers in the state had to bear the brunt as several areas in a number of districts, particularly Bathinda, plunged into darkness following a power failure.
The power demand has escalated as mercury in most parts of the state has gone beyond 46 degrees Celsius. The Power Corporation functionaries claim that it has purchased electricity from the open market to bridge the demand-supply gap. But, several districts of Punjab were seen reeling under power crisis today.
In Bathinda, power cuts were imposed at 1.30 am in several areas, including Green Avenue, Jhujhar Singh Nagar and Model Town Phase-III. Till the afternoon, power could not be restored. Besides, normal consumers in Bathinda have been sweating it out for three to four hours daily on account of power failuredue to overloading of transformers, which causes tripping.
In Sangrur district, power cuts varying from two to four hours have left the people high and dry.
Ludhiana, one of the most densely populated districts in the state, is experiencing three to six hour cuts, at times unscheduled, in the domestic sector. In Amritsar, the situation is somewhat better with at least two-hour cuts. In Patiala, the power scenario is grim with the royal city witnessing four to six hours power cuts for the last few days.
The power demand recorded yesterday was 1,509 lakh units (LU) against the availability of 1,460 LU, a shortfall of 49 LU. Depending on daily variation in power requirement, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited is purchasing 120-150 LU (approximate cost Rs 5.25 crore) from the market in order to fill the shortfall.
PSPCL Director (Distribution) Arun Verma claimed the Power Corporation was not imposing any cuts on domestic consumers. He said maintenance works, including replacement of conductors and de-loading of transformers, had been undertaken well in advance this time round.
"The real problem is unauthorised load, which overloads transformers, thereby, leading to power breakdown during peak demand season. The present crisis is not because of the cuts but because of overloading of transformers and technical snags in transmission network," a senior PSPCL official said.
