The people in many parts of the Valley including in Srinagar are growing increasingly frustrated with unscheduled power cuts that have persisted for several days. Complaints have poured in from various Uptown and Downtown areas, especially in regions where smart meters have been installed. Residents who had been promised uninterrupted power supply are now grappling with multiple power cuts, causing inconveniences in their daily lives.
Residents in Downtown areas have reported major power cuts for weeks. Prolonged outages have disrupted their routines, impacting not only daily work. Hazratbal’s outskirt areas have also raised concerns about unscheduled power cuts. One big impact has been on the ongoing wedding season. Frequent power outages are playing spoilsport during the ceremonies, making people rely entirely on the power generators.
Traders in Srinagar have not been immune to this issue either, as many depend on uninterrupted power supply for their businesses. The power cuts are negatively affecting productivity for local businesses.
The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited has attributed the surge in power cuts to reduced power generation in the region, linking it to lower water levels in the rivers due to decreased precipitation. The Corporation is prioritizing power supply to essential facilities like hospitals, critical installations, metered areas, and industrial estates. Unfortunately, this has led to scheduled load shedding to bridge the demand-supply gap. Metered areas are facing unscheduled power cuts of 5 to 6 hours per day, while non-metered areas endure even longer cuts, up to 9 hours.
Besides, as the temperature drops, there has been an increased demand for electricity, placing further strain on the already limited supply. Power generation within the region has dwindled to a mere 500 MW, far below the increasing demand. As is usual during this season and the winter ahead, the KPDCL is working on arranging power supply from outside Kashmir. So, it is expected that the situation will improve in the next couple of days.
Jammu and Kashmir, despite its significant hydropower potential and its realization in the form of some power projects over the last two decades has always faced a severe power crisis, more so in the cold season. The power deficit in Kashmir alone ranges from 300 to 400 MW, with demand surging to 1500 MW during peak times. However, the available supply falls significantly short, creating a substantial gap between supply and demand. But it is hoped that going forward the administration will take concrete steps to address the growing shortfall. We have now a situation where people are ready to pay for the power consumption even at prevailing higher rates but the administration is failing to meet the demand.
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