After three months of powering through endless blackouts, Mohali residents can finally heave a sigh of relief as the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has said this week will be one of the last phases of outages linked to its large-scale infrastructure upgrade.
PSPCL deputy chief engineer (East zone, distribution circle) Harpreet Singh Oberoi said most work under the state’s ‘Roshan Punjab’ programme – a power modernisation initiative aimed at ensuring uninterrupted 24x7 electricity – has been completed in the district. “What remains now is the last leg involving local transformers and LT (low-tension) level strengthening,” he said.
The Roshan Punjab scheme is a ₹5,000-crore statewide effort to upgrade ageing power infrastructure, reduce transmission losses, and improve supply reliability. Mohali alone accounts for approximately ₹900 crore worth of works under the programme, according to officials.
Breaking down the expenditure, Oberoi said nearly ₹300 crore has been invested in LT and 11 kV networks, while about ₹600 crore has gone into 66 kV lines and grid substations.
Infra upgrade necessitated by Mohali’s rising power demand
{{/usCountry}}Infra upgrade necessitated by Mohali’s rising power demand
{{/usCountry}}The upgrade became essential due to Mohali’s rising electricity demand. According to PSPCL, the city recorded a peak consumption in June-July of nearly 350 MW per day last year, with an annual growth rate of 15-20%. To meet this increasing demand, new feeders, transformers, and strengthened distribution lines were required. “Upgrade was needed to unload the system,” Oberoi said, adding that new transformers have been installed in rapidly growing areas such as Aerocity and Eco City.
Why so many outages?
The frequent outages over recent months had triggered concern among residents, many of whom questioned why the work was not carried out during winter.
Oberoi clarified that work has been going on since September, and they reached the stage where cuts were required only now. The cuts were essential to ensure the safety of technicians working on the ground.
“At the same time, we ensured consumers were informed. That is why the government planned advance communication of every shutdown under the ORP (outage reduction plan). Weekly schedules were shared with leading dailies so that residents knew well in advance and could plan their days accordingly.”
Nearing 24x7 power reliability
Officials believe that once the final phase concludes, Mohali will be among the regions closest to achieving uninterrupted power supply under the Roshan Punjab vision.
Oberoi emphasised the everyday importance of electricity: “From the moment people enter their homes, they expect comfort whether it is switching on a fan, air-conditioner, or heater in winters which we believe comes from a constant flow of electricity. Mobile phones remain plugged in, and household chores, especially in kitchens, depend heavily on electricity. PSPCL is working to achieve that ‘Roshan Punjab’ vision this summer.”
Zirakpur sees 2-hr ‘unexplained’ cut
Even as PSPCL continued to make tall claims of only planned cuts, all of Zirakpur plunged into darkness due to a breakdown on Friday night around 9.10pm. Power resumed only around 11 pm. Areas including Defence Colony, Sigma City, Shivalik Vihar, Swastik Vihar, Palm Enclave, Bhabat, residential societies on Nabha road and VIP Road remained affected for over two hours, with restoration timelines uncertain. “This is not a scheduled cut, it’s a major breakdown,” said Meena Sharma of Zirakpur, adding that outages in Mohali district often go unnoticed compared to Chandigarh, where even brief disruptions draw swift attention from authorities and media. XEN, Zirakpur Division, was unavailable for comments. The PSPCL Consumer app also failed to provide any reasons for the blackout.