Multiple factors compound power crisis in Uttar Pradesh as demand soars

Villages in Uttar Pradesh see nearly eight hours of load shedding, semi-urban towns over six hours; energy minister asks officials to work honestly to rid people of power cuts

Increasing demand with “shrinking generation” due to coal shortage in thermal plants, as well as closure of some units for technical reasons, have further compounded the prevailing power crisis in Uttar Pradesh.

The divisional headquarters, mahanagars (metro cities) and industries were being exempted from official rostering, but the local faults resulting in forced power cuts were widely reported. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

The situation arose even as Uttar Pradesh energy minister Arvind Kumar Sharma on Wednesday asked officials to work honestly to rid people of load-shedding.

“The power situation in UP is alarming,” said an official, quoting the grid report on demand-supply in the state.

“The average official load-shedding on Tuesday-Wednesday night was as much as 7.57 hours in villages, 6.17 hours in semi-urban towns, 6.2 hours in tehsil-level cities and 6.51 hours in Bundelkhand,” the report said.

The divisional headquarters, mahanagars (metro cities) and industries were being exempted from official rostering, but the local faults resulting in forced rostering were being widely reported from there.

The state is said to have lost more than 280 million units (MUs) of power due to lack of coal in the state-owned thermal plants this month till April 26.

According to another internal report showing coal availability in plants as on April 27, the Anpara thermal plant had 30,100 MT of coal against the requirement of 40,000 MT, Obra had 7,900 MT coal against the requirement of 12,500 MT. Similarly, the Harduaganj plant had 7656 MT coal against requirement 19000 MT. The coal stock in the Parichha thermal plant stood at 11300 MT while it required 15500 MT for optimal production.

Energy minister Arvind Kumar Sharma said the power demand was creating a new record due to intense heat conditions.

He was holding a meeting to review power supply in KESCo (Kanpur Electricity Supply Company) and districts under the Meerut discom here on Wednesday.

He asked officials to ensure that local faults were repaired promptly to minimise load- shedding.

“For the power supply to remain on track, it is very essential that all the personnel work honestly and diligently,” he said. He asked field officials to keep the CUG numbers on 24x7 to take consumers’ complaints with due seriousness and sensitivity.

UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad chairman Avdhesh Kumar Verma has alleged that despite the Central Regulatory Commission (CERC) having capped the power price at ₹12 per unit, the energy exchange was still selling power to states at a rate as high as between ₹12 per unit and ₹17 per unit.

Many private power suppliers, he alleged, were selling costlier power to states through the Energy Exchange by tampering with the mechanism laid down by CERC early this month.

“We have brought this issue to the notice of the Union power secretary, who assured us of necessary action in the matter,” Verma said.