UT’s power purchase bill mounts to Rs 9000 cr
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, June 18: While the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is facing a shortfall of 700 MW power during these peak summer months, the power purchase bill of the UT has gone up to whopping Rs 9000 crores.
Official sources told the ‘Excelsior’ that currently 2800 MW is the electricity requirement of the Jammu and Kashmir. While the peak demand of power in Jammu region is about 1600 MW while in Kashmir it is 1200 MW.
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The own generation of the J&K UT from various sources is 900 MW while 1200 MW is being received by the J&K as the Central share. Though the J&K has the vast hydel power potential but is generating hardly 900 MW of power at present.
A senior PDD official denied any forced curtailment in the J&K UT, specially in the Jammu region where temperature has gone up to 45 degrees Celsius. The people have been facing unscheduled power outages in many urban as well as the rural areas specially in Jammu, Samba, Reasi and Kathua districts. Even in some of the rural and semi- urban areas the electric transformers are being replaced in more than two days, adding sufferings of the consumers.
The official claimed that a power transformers bank has been created to meet the demand during peak season and a buffer stock has been generated in Jammu as well as in Kashmir. Different PDD divisions have been directed to replace the damaged transformers with in 24 hours in rural areas and in 12 hours in Urban pockets. But as per inputs received from different Power Divisions and Sub Divisions, the electric transformers replacement time is even less than 24 hours in many areas. In case of some far flung areas where vehicles can not reach, the transformers are being replaced within 2-3 days, he added.
Sources further said that in order to meet up the power shortfall in Jammu and Kashmir, about 500 to 600 MW power is being procured from the Central pool on the daily basis. For meeting the further shortfall of nearly 200 to 250 MW scheduled/ unscheduled power cuts are being imposed in the identified areas in rotation.
“Due to recent intense hot weather conditions last week, when mercury reached 45 to 46 degrees Celssius in Jammu, Kathua and Samba areas, the JPDCL was forced to curtail the power supply to protect the power infrastructure. Many transformers were getting heated due to over load. The Department imposed power cuts. Barn, Bishnah Grids remained most problematic during these days. Their capacity is needed to be upgraded,” the sources added.
The sources further disclosed that due to over loading of the transmission lines 220 KV Barn-Kishanpur; Hiranagar-Jatwal, Jatwal- Chowadi; Sarna-Hiranagar Transmission lines and over loading of 320 MVA , 220 /132/33 KV Barn Grid Station near Bhalwal; 710 MVA, 220/132/33 KV Gladini Grid Stations, the consumers are facing curtailments.
Chief Engineer PDD (Purchase), Vikas Nanda when contacted said that power purchase bill of the JKUT during the month of May was around Rs 730 crores while in the month of June, 2025 it is expected to reach 750 crores and may be more. He said that for the last two days the weather has improved but last week and even before there was severe hot weather in Jammu region.
Nanda further said that this bill varies during each month and during April it was around Rs 650 crores. He claimed that annual power purchase bill has gone up to around Rs 9000 cr, whereas, the power liability has remained hardly Rs 5000 crores.
It is pertinent to mention here that J&K power liability was more than Rs 40,000 crores hardly three years ago. The highest power liability was of the Government departments and not the private consumers. Hardly, seven months ago, as per data, the power liability was to the tune of around Rs 21,000 crores. The PDD authorities, as per Chief Engineer Nanda, managed to clear the liability worth over Rs 16000 cr.
Managing Director, JPDCL, Yasin Mohd Choudhary, said that the peak power requirement in Jammu region during summers remains between 1500 to 1600 MW while in Kashmir it remains between 1200 to 1400 MW. However, during winters it is higher in Kashmir.
Major shortfall is observed during winter months as during these months the water discharge in the rivers goes down. The power shortfall is on the higher side in winters. Then the department is forced to purchase extra power from the Central pool and other agencies from outside. But during these months also extra power is being purchased to meet the shortfall.
While referring to recent power crises faced in Jammu when temperature went up to 45 degrees, Yasin said it was caused due to over heating of the systems and damage caused to the transformers. He said major problems was faced at Barn station which is being augmented to increase is capacity. The another one is Bishnah station which covers parts of Ramgarh and Nandpur. It will also be augmented within a fortnight and the power position will improve in the areas being fed by this station, the MD added.
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