UP govt pledges 24 x 7 smooth power supply

Uttar Pradesh urban development and energy minister AK Sharma directed the officials to share prior Information about scheduled power outages due to development work under RDSS and other schemes with regional representatives and published in local newspapers.

Lucknow The Uttar Pradesh government has pledged to provide 24-hour uninterrupted power supply to all consumers in the state. In a recent review meeting held in Varanasi, urban development and energy minister AK Sharma announced the discontinuation of the traditional power roster system to ensure round-the-clock electricity across the region.

Sharma also issued strict directives for removing dilapidated wires and poles. (Pic for representation)

During the review, the minister emphasized on maintaining improved power supply standards set during the recent summer season and directed the use of best practices for infrastructure maintenance.

The minister directed the officials to share prior Information about scheduled power outages due to development work under Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and other schemes with regional representatives and published in local newspapers.

He also issued strict directives for removing dilapidated wires and poles, preventing electricity theft and upgrading transformer capacities where necessary. He called for better maintenance of electrical equipments and urged all power personnel to adopt a customer-friendly approach, promptly addressing consumer complaints.

Discom chief engineers provided updates on ongoing and future projects aimed at enhancing the power supply. Notably, for Varanasi city the state has approved projects worth ₹1300 crore, including the installation of new transformers at 1202 locations and upgrading 1955 existing transformers. Additionally, in response to peak load issues due to extreme heat in May and June, coolers were set upo near power transformers to maintain regular supply.

Plans are underway to prevent low voltage and overload issues by designing systems that anticipate the projected increase in power demand by 2030. Specific projects under RDSS and the 2024-25 business plan are prioritized to meet the government’s supply expectations.

The energy minister also inspected the power supply to the Kashi Vishwanath Dham and instructed the implementation of automatic ring main units (RMUs) to ensure continuous power supply. Similar instructions were given for infrastructure improvements in the Vindhyavasini Dham area and electrification of non-electrified regions in Sonbhadra.

The review meeting also highlighted efforts to curb electricity theft, particularly in areas experiencing overload due to katia connections. The review concluded with directives to strengthen the toll-free helpline for quicker resolution of consumer issues and emphasized the need for robust infrastructure planning to support rapid industrial and commercial growth.

The meeting was attended by several key officials, including Varanasi Cantt MLA Saurabh Srivastava and managing director of Purvanchal Discom, Shambhu Kumar.