Power woes to multiply: Summer yet to peak, but Chandigarh already short of electricity
UT electricity department superintending engineer MP Singh told HT, “We were drawing power up to 30 MW from Jammu and Kashmir during summers and we use to give them power during winters. The finances were settled mutually. Now, however, we will not buy power from them as they some financial issues to settle.”
There could be a lot of sweating in store for residents with the UT administration not getting 30MW (around 10% of city’s peak demand of 400 MW) of power it used it used to buy from Jammu and Kashmir every year.
Must read | Worst of heatwave yet to come, be prepared for scorching heat from April to June
UT electricity department superintending engineer MP Singh told HT, “We were drawing power up to 30 MW from Jammu and Kashmir during summers and we use to give them power during winters. The finances were settled mutually. Now, however, we will not buy power from them as they some financial issues to settle with the Central power authorities. ”
“The maximum load is between 1 pm to 4pm and during the night. Now, rotational cuts likely to be deployed, the residents will be harassed. The department for year 2016-17, 17-18 and 18-19, has projected the peak demand to be 426 MW, 450 MW and 475 MW,” the officer added.
UT buys power from central stations
The electricity department does not have its own power generation source and buys power through its allocation from the NTPC, the NHPC, the NPCIL, the BBMB, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) and Tehri etc.
‘Heatwave to stay, rain by weekend’
The weather department has predicted no respite from the scorching heat (the temperature touched 39°C on Monday) for the next two days. Relief is likely only by the weekend as there is prediction of rain on April 21 and 22 (Friday and Saturday). Temperature is likely to touch 40°C over the next two days. The minimum temperature recorded was 25.2°C, 6°C above normal. The humidity oscillated from 20% to 57%.
“The temperature will increase during the next two days, but it will decline on April 21-22, as there is a possibility of rain,” said Surender Paul, Director, India Meteorological department, Chandigarh.