THE CONTINUING State-wide power crisis took a serious turn on Monday when power generation dipped to as low as 1600 MW, after four power generating units in different power houses broke down.
The situation was so bad that the UP Power Corporation Ltd decided not to supply power even to industries for eight hours in the night. The power shortage was to the tune of more than 2,000 MW.
Even as the mercury soared leading to more demand for electricity, four thermal power units stopped functioning due to some technical faults adding to people’s woes. The units which stopped functioning were no 7 and 8 of 100 MW each and no 11 and 12 of 200 MW each, all belonging to Obra thermal power house. A 60-MW unit was closed at Harduaganj thermal power house, while the generation at Panki came to zero, after a lone 100-MW unit functioning there also broke down.
This brought the State generation to just around 1600 MW. A desperate UPPCL purchased over 2900 MW from the Centre at a higher cost. But the total power availability of 4500 MW was too low to meet the demand for over 7,000 MW. The UPPCL was, thus, forced to resort to indiscriminate power cuts throughout the State to save the over-burdened power grid from collapsing.
{{/usCountry}}This brought the State generation to just around 1600 MW. A desperate UPPCL purchased over 2900 MW from the Centre at a higher cost. But the total power availability of 4500 MW was too low to meet the demand for over 7,000 MW. The UPPCL was, thus, forced to resort to indiscriminate power cuts throughout the State to save the over-burdened power grid from collapsing.
{{/usCountry}}While small towns were completely in dark, big towns faced prolonged rostering in shifts. Sources said a decision had been taken not to supply electricity to industries from 10 pm to 6 am to bridge the demand supply gap.