Power suppliers promise brighter Diwali this year

The current power crisis will not mar your festive mood. Electricity distributors have promised uninterrupted supply to their consumers in the city and rest of Maharashtra.

The current power crisis will not mar your festive mood. Electricity distributors have promised uninterrupted supply to their consumers in the city and rest of Maharashtra.

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The four suppliers, Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra), Tata Power Company, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) and Mahavitaran, said they would have enough power to cater to their consumers, mainly because of industrial shutdown and office holidays, which will lower demand by at least 2,000MW.

Together the four supply 2,500-3,200MW to 39 lakh consumers. Other than the eastern suburbs, Mahavitaran also supplies to 1.90 crore consumers in the rest of Maharashtra, but it faces a shortfall of 3,000-3,500MW against the demand of 15,500MW.

The state company manages deficit by separating supply to domestic, industry/agriculture and power cuts ranging between two to 11 hours.

However, in Diwali, the trend is reversed as demand peaks in the evening due festive lightings. “Our domestic demand increases a bit in the evening because of the festival, but we manage it because demand in other sectors goes down at least by 250MW,” said RInfra spokesperson, adding that the company had arrangements to procure extra power, if needed.

BEST area houses many offices and hence keeps the demand low during the working hours. “We get more power, if required, from our supplier, Tata,” said a BEST official, requesting anonymity.

Mahavitaran spokesperson said they expected no problem.