E-Paper
Citizens blow fuse over four-hr supply
PEOPLE IN the city went on the rampage on Monday night protesting against severe power cuts. They blocked important roads, including national highways, and atacked KESCo personnel.
PEOPLE IN the city went on the rampage on Monday night protesting against severe power cuts. They blocked important roads, including national highways, and atacked KESCo personnel.
Despite all the protests, there was only four hours of power supply in the city on Tuesday, while some areas got electricity for only two hours. The police, however, fear that the problem poses a serious threat to law and order.
The entire Monday almost went without power supply. The power supply was snapped at 7.40 am and was restored at 4.30 pm. On Tuesday the supply was snapped from 9 pm to 1 am. Again it was cut at 2 am and restored at 5.30 am. It was snapped again at 7.40 am. Adding to the woes were power cuts at substation level.
The reason for this sudden crisis was being attributed to shortage of power from the Northern grid. Production at two units of 200 MW each of Obra came to a halt, which further worsened the crisis in the state. The condition further deteriorated when generation of power at two 500 MW and 200 MW units of Singhrauli also came to a halt.
The generation of power at Panki plant also stopped when the canal went dry due to stoppage of water. However, officials of the irrigation department said that prior information had already been given to officials of the Panki plant about this step. In all, 75 MW of power was being generated from this plant.
The non-functioning of these power plants led to overall shortage of 2300 MW of power in the state whereas the demand for power supply soared beyond 7000 MW. According of senior officials of the Power Corporation, the entire state was subjected to extensive rostering in order to save the Northern grid from collapsing. However, Kanpur was the worst affected city. A section of KESCo officials is also of the same opinion.
“Whenever there is a power crisis in the state, this city is at the receiving end,” said an official. “Even small towns are getting more power supply in comparison to Kanpur,” he added.
KESCo general manager MP Tripathi said, “The entire state is reeling under power crisis and efforts are being made to restore normal power supply in the city.”
