E-Paper
Centre allocates 207 MW additional power to J&K
Principal secretary to J&K LG Nitishwar Kumar said that the order issued by the Union ministry of power will substantially increase the availability of electricity in J&K
Following a public outcry over prolonged power cuts in Jammu and Kashmir, the central government has finally allocated 207 MW additional power to the union territory.
Principal secretary to J&K LG and power development department Nitishwar Kumar said that the order issued by the Union ministry of power will substantially increase the availability of electricity in J&K. The Union government has allocated additional power from the unallocated quota of central generating stations of northern region pool to J&K.
The order in this regard came into the effect from Wednesday midnight.
J&K’s power development department is also making dedicated efforts on all fronts to meet the rising demand for the power supply in the UT. It was informed that between April 1 and 25, the department allocated additional ₹52 crore to buy electricity from the open market, also known as energy exchange. However, due to increased number of bidding, electricity worth only ₹1041 crore could be supplied to J&K.
The power development department is also ensuring optimal output from available power sources. However, it is pertinent to mention that thermal plants account for 70% of the country’s power generation capacity. Thermal and Hydropower contribute 50-50% to meet the demand of the UT.
Hydropower plants operate at reduced capacity during March and April due to the accumulation of snow which starts melting only in May.
In April 2021, the power demand for Jammu division was 830 MW per day.
In the light of the increasing power demand in Jammu and Kashmir division, Kumar is reviewing the position of power availability on an hourly basis.
After detailed deliberations, Kumar directed the deployment of middle management level officers at grid stations to monitor the power schedule.
It was advised that the area-wise curtailment schedule be communicated to the public using all available platforms.
Rampant power cuts have also adversely affected water supply in the union territory and the situation was poor in the plains of Jammu, where mercury has already touched nearly 40 degrees Celsius
