Delhi govt: UP overdrawing power, leading to outages

With power crisis in the Capital entering its seventh day, Delhi government on Monday defended the power distribution companies and put the blame for the power cuts on the Uttar Pradesh government.

With power crisis in the Capital entering its seventh day, Delhi government on Monday defended the power distribution companies and put the blame for the power cuts on the Uttar Pradesh government.

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Delhi power minister Haroon Yusuf said the UP government was "overdrawing electricity" from the northern grid.

"With the beginning of winters, UP government has suddenly started overdrawing power. It has put tremendous pressure on the grid leading to a situation where the grid may even collapse," Yusuf said.

According to the minister, the UP government overdrew 2,081MW electricity on Saturday, 1,982MW on Sunday and 1,180MW on Monday.

Senior power department officials said the overdrawing electricity from Northern grid is punishable and that UP will have to pay a hefty penalty. Yusuf also said the Delhi government will report the matter to the home ministry soon.

Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are just a few months away and senior Delhi government officials said the Mayawati-led government is trying to keep its people happy.

"Discoms have been told to arrange for more electricity. The Bawana plant is likely to start generating power soon, as gas has been allocated for the same," Yusuf told reporters.