Supplying 16% extra energy compared to last year: KPDCL
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Apr 18: Despite Ramadhan, people across Kashmir valley are facing frequent power cuts especially during the time of Sehri and Iftar with the Power department stating that the extra load on its feeders is resulting in the power breakdown.
It has been a routine since the day Ramadhan said that the people began complaining about the erratic power supply in their respective areas while many stated that despite the recent hike in the monthly dues, they still have to face power shutdowns.
People from almost every part of Kashmir said that the unscheduled power cuts during Sehri and Iftar when there is a maximum requirement of electricity has now become a norm and is being witnessed for the first time.
“It is day 5 of the holy month of Ramadhan and here we have been facing pesky power cuts from day one. Usually, we do not face power cuts during the time of Sehri and Iftar, that’s something we are facing for the first time,” said Muhammad Ashraf, a resident of Zakura, Srinagar.
While people are stating that they are facing such a situation for the first time, the officials of the Power department also said that they are also witnessing such an increase in the load for the first time. They said that the Sehri time load touched 1631 Megawatts on April 15, which, they said is the highest load recorded so far.
On the other side, there were few areas in Srinagar city as well in Kashmir that were not facing pesky power cuts until April 17, however, they finally had to spend the Sehri of day-5 of the Ramadhan in darkness.
“We had round the clock electricity since the beginning of Ramadhan, rather, a week before Ramadhan until April 17-however, on April 18, it was as if we were back in the winter when the unscheduled power cuts are a norm,” said Waseem Ahmad, a local from Bandipora.
As per figures made available by the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), it is at present supplying more than 16 per cent of extra energy in comparison to what was being supplied at this point of time last year.
People are also criticising the department for resorting to power cuts despite a hike in the monthly dues. “I was paying Rs 700 till last month, now from this month I will have to pay Rs 950, but there is no improvement on the ground, we still face power cuts even in Ramadhan,” a local said.
Chief Engineer KPDCL, Distribution Aijaz Ahmad Dar told EXCELSIOR that if the public uses electricity judiciously, they will be able to provide around the clock power supply across the Valley.
“But at present, we are facing massive load and during Iftar and Sehri time, we face the load equal to what we bear in the peak winters; as the cold increased, with that increased the load and we had to roll back the changes that we had made in the power schedule keeping in view Ramadhan,” he said.
Dar said that he promises that the KPDCL will provide a round-the-clock power supply, “but people will have to use the electricity judiciously and stop using blowers and heaters during the Iftar and Sehri time; we want to provide round the clock electricity,” he said.
Notably, as per figures, in comparison to what the department was supplied last year, it is at the present moment supplying more than 40 lakh additional units of energy which indicates that the supply of additional 200 Megawatts of power is being given out round the clock.
The Chief Engineer said that in winters, there was a need of 2200 Megawatts in the Valley, “but the supply was just 1500 Megawatts, however, at present, the demand lingers around and still is 1950 MWs, forcing us to resort to curtailments,” he said.
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