State gets additional power for winters

The state has reason to cheer this winter. The Centre has finally accepted Himachal’s demand for supplying an additional 100 MW of power from its unallotted quota. The supply may go up to 128 MWs, say sources.

The state has reason to cheer this winter. The Centre has finally accepted Himachal’s demand for supplying an additional 100 MW of power from its unallotted quota. The supply may go up to 128 MWs, say sources.

The additional power will bring relief to the industrial sector. It will also be available to domestic consumers, for lighting and heating.

Because of low water level in rivers, the source of hydro power in Himachal Pradesh, the state has been facing major shortage of power. This year’s shortage for the winter months has already exceeded 350 MW.

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Says Sunil Grover of HPSEB, “With concerted efforts of the government, an additional 22-24 lakh units of power has been made available to the state for meeting the shortage during the winter months. The supply is being made through the Centre’s unallotted power quota.”

Himachal had earlier banked nearly 200 MW with Punjab, to tide over the shortage. Another 150 MW will be drawn from other power producers and agencies. During the summer months, when Himachal Pradesh has surplus power at its disposal, Punjab and some other adjoining states take power supply from HPSEB. The state government also has a power trading agreement with National Power Transmission Corporation (NTPC), to sell surplus power. But winters are crucial for Himachal, when the state has to depend on thermal power produced in the adjoining states and also the unallotted central quota.

Grover claims that when additional power is available to the state around the clock, there will not be any power cut. Earlier, the CM had written to Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde for additional power for the state.