Ludhiana’s industrial feeders faced five-hour power cuts on Friday amid a widening electricity shortage in Punjab, with Powercom restricting supply from 7pm to midnight in the Miller Ganj area, one of the city’s key industrial hubs.
The restrictions, ordered by Power Control Patiala, affected Category-II and Category-III industrial feeders under the O&M Division, Ludhiana City-Miller Ganj. Similar restrictions were imposed on industrial feeders in Mandi Gobindgarh, Khanna and Mohali as the state power system came under mounting pressure.
The latest cuts come amid a power deficit of around 2,500 MW in Punjab, with outages at generating units and the unavailability of units at Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) exacerbating the supply crunch. The development comes just two days after the state recorded a 1,895 MW gap between demand and available supply.
On August 25, maximum unrestricted demand had touched 15,679 MW against 13,784 MW available through generation and power purchases. Restrictions had subsequently been imposed on selected feeders in parts of Ludhiana, while residents in suburban and rural areas reported late-night outages amid the heat.
A senior Powercom official, requesting anonymity, attributed the worsening situation to generation-side constraints. “There is a significant shortage at present due to the outage of units at GHTP Lehra Mohabbat and GGSSTP Ropar, along with the unavailability of RSD units. Controlled curtailment of industrial feeders is being carried out to manage the shortage and maintain grid security,” the official said.
{{/usCountry}}A senior Powercom official, requesting anonymity, attributed the worsening situation to generation-side constraints. “There is a significant shortage at present due to the outage of units at GHTP Lehra Mohabbat and GGSSTP Ropar, along with the unavailability of RSD units. Controlled curtailment of industrial feeders is being carried out to manage the shortage and maintain grid security,” the official said.
{{/usCountry}}The official said the restrictions were a load-management measure necessitated by the prevailing power situation and were intended to prevent excessive loading of the system. “The priority is to keep the grid stable and avoid a larger disruption. The load on the affected feeders is being monitored in real time,” the official added.
Under the latest directions, 66-kV Category-II industrial feeders have been permitted a load of up to 10% of their maximum demand, while Category-III feeders have been restricted to 2%. Field staff have been instructed to monitor the load in real time and switch off the concerned feeder breaker if the prescribed limit is exceeded.
The restrictions are likely to weigh on industrial activity in and around Miller Ganj, particularly units dependent on uninterrupted electricity for machinery and production processes. Industrial consumers have already faced power restrictions earlier this week, making Friday’s cuts another disruption for the city’s manufacturing sector.
Powercom officials said the restrictions would be reviewed in accordance with power availability and the prevailing load situation.
The utility is relying on controlled load management to safeguard grid stability while generation remains constrained.