Sukhbir Instructs To Improve Power Supply To Domestic Consumers
Asks Powercom To Desist From Power Cuts During Night,Powercom Told To Purchase More Power From Spot Market
5 Dariya News
Chandigarh 30-Jul-2012
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today issued strict instructions to POWERCOM to improve power supply to the domestic sector and said that power cut beyond schedule should be avoided at all costs.The Deputy Chief Minister today had a detailed review of power supply situation in the state as demand for power has spurted due to drought like situation in the state and Anirudh Tiwari, Secretary Power gave him a detailed presentation of power scenario in the state. The Chairman POWERCOM K.D. Chaudry informed the Deputy Chief Minister that there has been 40% increase in demand in power against 10% projected by the corporation. He said that POWERCOM has already purchased power worth Rs.7000 crore to tide over crisis due to unprecedented deficient monsoon.Badal issued strict instruction that POWERCOM must restrict power cuts to the domestic consumers to minimum and power cut period should be pre notified. He said that it should be ensured that there should not be any power cut from 8 PM to 8AM to domestic sector so that every citizen could have a sound sleep. The Chairman informed that sometimes power cuts were due to grid failure due to low frequency which was out of control of POWERCOM. He said that POWERCOM has to exercise discipline in over drawing power from the grid and informed that yesterday failure of northern grid was outside Punjab and there was no control of Punjab on this. Badal instructed POWERCOM to purchase more power from spot market to meet the increase in demand for power.Issuing directions to ensure ban on ACs in government offices strictly in the state, Badal said that we would have to make collective efforts to face this unprecedented crisis. He said that Punjab has already sought 1000 MW power from unallocated central pool and expressed hope that Union government understanding the gravity of situation to save the crops would release more power to the state.