2 More Grid Stations to augment power supply capacity 320 MWs Of Electricity
Srinagar: In a move that could possibly improve the power scenario in the Valley, the Jammu Kashmir Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (JKPTCL) has enhanced power supply capacity by an additional 320 megawatts of electricity to meet the rising demands with the commissioning of two more grid stations in south Kashmir.
Chief Engineer, Kashmir Power Transmission Corporation, Hashmat Qazi told Kashmir Observer that they have commissioned 160 MVA Lassipora grid station on 26 October while the augmentation of Mir Bazar grid station will be done on 30 November.
“With the help of both the grids, we would be able to supply an additional 320 MWA” Qazi said.
He further said, the distribution is not able to distribute 320 Mv’s of power because of the constraints.
“They aren’t able to take more power supply because of the less capacity of grid stations,” Qazi added.
Sources from the department told Kashmir Observer that they have a capacity of over 1800 MW against last year’s 1500 MW but the demand is growing.
“We are hopeful that uninterrupted power supply will be provided once the two grid stations are commissioned,” he told Kashmir Observer.
Chief Engineer, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Aijaz Ahmad Dar told Kashmir Observer that they can provide the power supply for round the clock if people use the electricity judiciously.
“Unfortunately, people use all electronic gadgets in winters as a result, the demand for power supply grows,” he said.
The Power chief said that unless people won’t cooperate with the department and use the electricity judiciously, the issue will never get resolved.
Dar also said that over 30 percent of Kashmir has been covered under metered areas while 70 percent are non-metered.
“People from non-metered areas are consuming the electricity without any check,” Dar said, when asked what is stopping them to do so he said “people aren’t allowing us to install the meters, even our staff was beaten many a places”
However, the repeated assurances from the department have failed to convince the consumers who complain of erratic power supply during the winters.
The department has failed to finalize the curtailment schedule for the winter period with officials saying that the plan will be out “soon”.
The consumers of both metered and non-metered areas have complained about frequent power outages, accusing the PDD, which is responsible for the transmission and distribution of electricity in the Valley, of failing to provide adequate power.
Here in Srinagar, the complaints of unscheduled power cuts were received from various Downtown areas including Bagh-Ali-Mardan, Alamgari Bazar and Hawal, Bemina, Habba Kadal, Hazratbal and its adjacent areas.
“The winter arrives in every part of the world. Electronic gadgets are being used everywhere according to needs. I wonder why the power cuts are only in Kashmir,” said Mohammad Ramzan, a resident of Batamaloo.
Ramzan, 60, alleges that he is witnessing the unscheduled power cuts since the last 50 years of his life.
“They never updated the power infrastructure. Their tall claims fall flat as the winter arrives,” Ramzan said.
Even if the department claims that the more power demand is being fulfilled with the help of commissioning the power grids, people claim that the unscheduled power cuts have become synonymous with winter.
With the onset of winter, the demand for power supply grows as most households use heat blowers, power blankets, heaters, geysers, and other warming devices that run on electricity.
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