Punjab staring at two-three hours long power cuts as situation turns critical

The State electrical energy board in Punjab introduced that it must impose power cuts of at least two-three hours from Tuesday night as three non-public thermal vegetation have shut down and two electrical energy stations practically operating out of coal.

Coal provides to the thermal power vegetation had been severely affected after the Railways suspended the operation of freight trains within the wake of the blockade of some tracks by farmers in protest in opposition to the three central farm legal guidelines.

With the situation turning grim, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is imposing power cuts of two-three hours as a result of mismatch between demand and provide, an official mentioned.

“The power cuts will increase to four-five hours,” PSPCL chairperson A Venu Prasad mentioned. “The power situation is critical.”

“We will impose three-hour power cuts today evening,” Mr. Prasad added.

Private utility GVK Power has introduced that it will shut down operations at 3 p.m. on Tuesday since coal shares had fully run out. Two different non-public thermal vegetation — Nabha Power at Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo in Mansa — have already shut down their operations as a result of coal scarcity.

Two State-owned utilities — Lehra Mohabbat and Ropar power vegetation — even have coal for only one or two days, officers mentioned.

At current, the demand for electrical energy within the State stands at 6,000 megawatts in opposition to a provide of 5,000 MW from different central sectors, hydro and biomass, resulting in a scarcity of 1,000 MW.

In a press release, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh mentioned the situation on the bottom was grim as the State had run out of coal, including that the folks of Punjab had been staring at a “dark” pageant season.

The suspension of freight trains has not solely hit the coal provides for thermal power vegetation, but additionally adversely affected provide of fertilisers for Rabi crops and motion of foodgrain shares. The non-operation of products trains has additionally impacted the State trade as it was unable to get uncooked materials and ship completed items.

Several farmer outfits had introduced a fortnight in the past to ease their rail blockade by permitting the motion of products trains within the State. However, members of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) continued to squat on two rail tracks which might be used for coal provides to 2 non-public thermal vegetation at Rajpura and Mansa.

Protesters beneath the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee are additionally sitting on a rail observe in Amritsar.

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal had sought the State authorities’s assurance of the security of trains and their crew members to revive freight companies after Mr. Singh had requested him to intervene.

However, the Railways later determined to increase its suspension of products practice operations, saying protesting farmers had been nonetheless blocking the tracks.