With the winters well underway Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has announced a curtailment schedule for the valley.
As per the curtailment schedule, non-metered areas will face a power cut of 3 hours in a day and metered areas will have power curtailment of 1.5 hours in a day.
The curtailment schedule will come into effect from today in the Srinagar district, while from the rest of the districts of Kashmir, Superintending Engineers (SEs) of KPDCL at district levels will announce separate curtailment schedules.
The power curtailment schedule has been divided into two parts, in metered areas power supply will remain shut for 45 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening. While in non-metered areas load shedding will be for 1.5 hours in morning hours and 1.5 hours in the evening hours.
KPDCL, Aijaz Ahmad Dar said “Non-metered areas will face 3 hours power cut, metered areas 1.5 hours in Srinagar district, for Pulwama and Ganderbal concerned SE’s have issued separate curtailment scheduled, similarly in other districts also curtailment schedule will be issued”.
Dar said the Corporation has no other option other than to resort to power curtailments. “ Consumers are not using power judiciously, in November our peak demand touched 1689 megawatts which was 1360 MWs in November last year.”
“ We have time and again requested people to use power judiciously, but unfortunately they are not paying any heed as a result of which the only option left with us is to announce a power curtailment schedule” Dar said.
Dar said that on one hand power demand has peaked but at the same time the revenue collection is the same that was recorded last year.
“ In this scenario we are witnessing revenue losses as we are supplying more energy but realizing lesser revenue” Dar said. He said that the people should cooperate with the KPDCL. “ Our teams are conducting inspections and we will take strict measures against power thefts”, he added.
The KPDCL, it may be mentioned, has increased the power transmission capacity which ensured that the power curtailment in Kashmir this winter was lesser as compared to previous years. As per the officials, the increase in the power transmission capacity was mainly due to commissioning of the projects.