The decision to implement curbs on power usage is a temporary phenomenon, said Energy Secretary B. Sreedhar on Friday.
Speaking after a review meeting, he said the wide gap between supply and demand had forced the government to initiate steps to save power, including declaring a power holiday for a section of industries.
He said power utilities would implement load reliefs (power cuts) in the industrial sector besides asking the industries that work round the clock to slash their power usage by 50%. “Others have been asked to declare a power holiday once a week in addition to their normal weekly off,” he said.
He said the total demand per day was around 235 million units, against the availability of 180 MUs, which included all sources. “There is a gap of 55 Mus. We usually purchase in power exchange, but this year, all States are facing similar situation. Even a state like Gujarat is facing shortage of power,” he said.
After reviewing the situation arising out of the deficit, the government decided to impose power cuts for maintaining grid stability, he said, informing that “mostly, the situation may return to normalcy by this month-end.”
Agriculture being the priority area, it was decided to spare the sector to save the standing crops ready for harvest. “The government also does not want the domestic sector to suffer on this count,” he said, adding that an hour-long power cut would be there for consumers in this segment.
He said the demand was expected to touch 240 MUs in peak summer and added that the peak of the summer had arrived early this year in March, instead of April.
Mr. Sreedhar attributed such high demand to revival of the industries and increase in the extent of cultivable lands post-COVID-19 pandemic. “During the 2020 lockdown, the demand was 188 MUs per day. Last year, it rose to 210 million units as the number of COVID cases had started declining. This year, things have returned to normal state and so the demand was bound to rise,” he explained.
The Energy Secretary said the efforts of the department were towards battling the situation and bringing the situation to normal at the earliest.
