E-Paper
Onset of winters brings power generation down by 65% in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is buying 138 lakh units of electricity through banking and bilateral arrangements with neighbouring states to meet its domestic power demand for all categories of consumers
The Himachal government has called for judicious use of electricity as the power generation in the state’s hydro-power projects has nosedived with the onset of winters.
Sources in Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) said the power generation in the state has declined by 65% while the daily demand has gone up from 280 lakh units to 335 lakh units.
The state is buying 138 lakh units of electricity through banking and bilateral arrangements with neighbouring states to meet its domestic demand for all categories of consumers.
Power projects in Himachal Pradesh generate 270 lakh to 275 lakh units of electricity daily in summers. However, the production drops below 100 lakh units in winters due to the reduced water discharge in rivers.
The power generation scenario is likely to remain affected till end of winters in March.
HPSEB managing director Pankaj Dadwal said that consumers should use the electricity judiciously and as per their requirement so that the normal supply is not affected.
He said the power supply, so far, was uninterrupted and HP will procure more units from the neighbouring states if the need arises.
There are more than 22 lakh domestic and commercial electricity consumers in the state.
The electricity under the banking system is returned to Himachal Pradesh free of cost as the state also lends power to neighbouring states for free in summers.
The production from the state’s own projects is 36 lakh units, while 50 lakh units is being procured from independent power producers. The state is getting 85 lakh units from the central sector while the Himachal government’s own share is of 40 lakh units.
