Power crisis deepens as demand soars to new high - Long cuts, frequent breakdowns and technical snags expose PSPCL’s ill-preparedness for summer season.

Friday, 22/06/2012

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120622/punjab.htm#1

With the demand for power shooting up drastically, the state is reeling under severe power crisis. The soaring mercury, heat wave and unscheduled power cuts in almost all parts of Punjab has left the people high and dry.

While the industry is fuming over the weekly offs imposed by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), farmers are protesting that they are not getting eight-hour power supply for paddy transplantation. Domestic power consumers in all areas are having sleepless nights on account of unscheduled and long power cuts.

Statistics say
The demand for power demand this month reached a peak of 8,778 MW, up by 312 MW as compared to last year. Though the power regulatory measures (weekly offs) on the industry during summer months is a routine affair, long power cuts in the domestic sector, frequent breakdowns and technical snags in the transmission network have exposed the ill preparedness of the power corporation to deal with the high demand during the summer season.

Reports from all parts of the state indicate that the problem is acute. In districts like Ludhiana, both industrial and domestic power consumers are facing a tough time. Farmers in Patiala and Sangrur are complaining of inadequate power supply for paddy sowing.

Domestic consumers
Power scenario in the domestic sector is worrying with cities like Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Mohali and Ropar facing power cuts varying from three to four hours. "It is surprising that the top brass of the PSPCL had claimed that there will be no power cuts this summer, but the ground reality is completely the opposite," said a majority of the residents.

People say as the annual maintenance work of the transmission systems is undertaken well in advance in winter, there is a need to probe frequent technical snags in the network.

Farm sector
A majority of the farmers are unhappy with the PSPCL for its failure to provide eight-hour power supply as was assured to them by the government. Farmers in Patran, Samana, Sangrur and Patiala said if they did not get proper water supply, paddy sowing was bound to be adversely affected. "We request the authorities to make sure that the farmers get the promised quota of power," they said.

State unit president of the Indian Farmers Association Satnam Singh Behru said farmers were getting power for only three to four hours. Besides agricultural pumpset (AP) consumers, domestic consumers in villages are also bearing the brunt. "We are struggling on account of erratic power, particularly during the evening hours. Three to four hour cuts during night have become routine ever since municipal elections are over," said Sarita, a resident of Ramnagar village in Patiala.

Industry sector
At present, the PSPCL has imposed one-day weekly off on the general industrial consumers (except consumers falling under Ludhiana East and West Circles), two-day weekly off on all general consumers falling under Ludhiana East and West Circle and on induction/arc furnace and rolling mills.

Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Punjab) president PD Sharma said besides weekly offs, the power corporation imposed unscheduled cuts for one to two hours daily. Industrialists point out that without adequate power, the industry can't utilise its captive power through generator sets on account of heavy VAT (8.8 per cent) on diesel. Under such circumstances, per unit cost of power through generator sets is more than Rs 12, which is too high. Industrialists said the weekly off also disturbed the schedule of the labour.

President of the Federation of Punjab Small Industries Association Badish Jindal said the weekly offs had reduced the total production by 33 per cent. "Besides the industry, the government also suffers loss as less production would mean less VAT," he claimed. Jindal said if the government failed to take necessary steps to redress the problems being faced by them, industrial units would start migrating to other states. "Already 600 cycle and fastener manufacturing units are contemplating to shift as they have got an offer from Hyderabad of uninterrupted power at the rate of Rs 4 per unit," he said.

Recently, orders were issued by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) that the industry will have to pay the same amount of transmission and wheeling charges for procuring power through open access (OA), as is being paid by other categories of power consumers. This has made the OA route unfavourable for the industry. "Such adverse policies of the government have virtually crippled the state industry," said industrialists.

Official speak
KD Chaudhri, CMD, PSPCL, said: "This time, the peak demand witnessed a huge jump as compared to previous years. The load has suddenly shot up by 15 to 20 per cent and in the wake of immense load on the Northern grid, its frequency is low due to which we are not able to overdraw much power". Chaudhri confirmed that cuts were being imposed but claimed that farmers were being given enough power supply.

He said: "Out of 573 substations, 122 are getting six-hour power supply while the rest are getting supply for eight hours". On the issue of weekly offs on industry, Chaudhri said: "In a week, the industrial units remain closed for one day and keeping that in mind, the schedule for two weekly offs has been prepared, which means practically there is one weekly off".

Arun Verma, Director (Distribution), PSPCL, said this year, there had been an unprecedented increase in power load, which had hit the supply schedule as additional power was purchased taking into account the demand recorded in the past three years.

Fuelling anger all over - Industry fumes

• Besides two-day weekly off, there are unscheduled cuts for one to two hours daily
• Per unit cost of power through generator sets is more than Rs 12
• There is a fall in the total production by 33%

If the government fails to take necessary steps, industrial units will start migrating to other states which are offering regular power at cheap rates

— Badish Jindal, president, Small Industries Association

Farmers protest

• A majority of the farmers are unhappy with the PSPCL for its failure to provide eight-hour power supply
• They say without sufficient power, paddy sowing is bound to be affected adversely

Don’t panic: PSPCL
KD Chaudhri, CMD, PSPCL, said there was no need to panic as the situation would improve soon. “The peak demand witnessed a huge rise this year. The load has shot up by 15 to 20 per cent and in the wake of immense load on the Northern grid, its frequency is low due to which we are not able to overdraw much power”.

People sweat

• Domestic power consumers in all areas are having sleepless nights on account of unscheduled and long power cuts
• Inverters are no longer a viable option as power is not available for sufficient period to charge the batteries
• Water supply to households is also badly hit