In Punjab, it’s power play of a different kind as residents sweat it out due to the searing heatwave and coal shortage. Power cuts as long as two-three hours, several times a day, are adding to the woes of the people, while those in rural areas struggle with unscheduled blackouts.
Owing to severe coal shortage, two units each of the Ropar and Talwandi Sabo thermal plants have been shut, while one unit of Goindwal Sahib thermal plant has also been closed down.
While the peak summer demand is expected to rise further, at present, demand stands at 7,300 MW against production of 4,000 MW. To make up for the gap, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) has bought 3,000 MW at the rate of Rs 10 per unit.
At the Ropar thermal plant, which has the capacity to produce 840 MW electricity with its four units, only 352 MW power is being produced with two operational units.
At Talwandi Sabo thermal plant, production had to be stopped due to leakage in a boiler. With another unit under repair, the plant with capacity to produce 1,980 MW is producing only 660 MW. It may take more than two days for the plant to be fully operational.
Sources say, with the supply of 1,684 lakh units against the demand of 1,966 lakh units on Wednesday, there was a deficit of 282 lakh units or power supply.
As per reports, All India Power engineers Federation spokesperson VK Gupta has said PSPCL is also facing a fund crunch as several government departments owe money to the board. The money owed by 47 government departments to PSPCL stands at Rs 2,650 crore till March.
He said only payment of dues by the state government can bail PSPCL out of trouble.
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