As the cold grips the entire Kashmir valley, people should brace themselves for further power cuts as power curtailment hours are to be increased due to increasing electricity load according to the power corporation KPDCL.
Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has recently announced a curtailment schedule by virtue of which metered areas are scheduled to face 1.5 hours power cuts in a day and non-metered 3 hours.
However, the curtailment schedule is not adhered to, as a consequence of which many areas have to reel under darkness for hours together.
A senior KPDCL official informed that “there is no option than to extend power curtailment hours in Kashmir division as the power demand has peaked up and there is a shortfall of over 1000 megawatts felt due to unrestricted demand peaking to 2600 MWs. In summer months, peak demand is 1200 MWs “
“We have time and again reiterated that our transmission system won’t allow us to supply over 1700 MWs of electricity, though government has enhanced distribution capacity by over 200 MWs in last two years, still there are constraints and power pilferage is the main reason that we have to resort to load shedding.”
Chief Engineer, KPDCL, Aijaz Ahmad Dar said: “KPDCL will come up with revised power curtailment schedule within few days. We are forced to do so as the power demand has increased manifold due to use of crude gadgets during peak hours.“
“We have constituted a task force who have been asked to take strict action and impose penalties on consumers found to be involved in power theft or have installed two service lines at their respective places,” Dar said.
He said that the people must take into consideration that in view of COVID-19 there are many patients who are on oxygen support. “They need electricity to run oxygen concentrators, but when a consumer resorts to illegal use of power, it leads to the shutdown of power supply thus putting the lives of others in jeopardy. We have time and again urged consumers to use electricity judiciously. ”
“Due to power pilferage KPDCL is also incurring losses as we have enhanced power supply by 12 per cent in comparison to last year, but our revenue collection in terms of power tariff is the same,” Dar said.
It is pertinent to mention that KPDCL has directed its field staff to act tough against power theft, day time pilferage.
A circular issued by the Chief Engineer, KPDCL, Aijaz Ahmad Dar has strongly warned the field staff of the corporation to act against power theft, day time pilferage and ensure zero pilferage across the network.
“Whereas the pilferage of electricity is a blot on the very conscience of administrative machinery and indeed a social crime committed by the defaulting consumers. The aim of this wing has always been zero pilferage and ensuring judicious use of precious electricity across the network” it said.