BENGALURU: Officials of the energy department announced on Wednesday that there will be no power cuts in the state for the next three months. The announcement was made on Wednesday, even as the decision was taken on Monday at a high-level meeting.
Managing Director of Bangalore Electricity Supply Corporation Limited Mahantesh Bilagi said that keeping in mind the interest of students and farmers, the five electricity supply companies (ESCOMs- BESCOM, MESCOM, HESCOM, GESCOM and CESC Mysore) will ensure that there is no load-shedding or power cut for the next three months.
Bilagi, who is also the power trading committee chairman for all the Escoms, said power demand is high during summer because of SSLC and PUC exams and farmers have also requested the government to supply uninterrupted power during the season. “A decision has been taken to ensure uninterrupted power supply for the next three months,” he said.
In a bid to meet the high electricity demand in summer, the energy department has instructed KPTCL and all Escoms to take necessary actions to meet the rising electricity demand. The Escoms have undertaken a scientific study on the power requirements for the next three months. According to the study, the energy department must ensure the availability, generation, and distribution of power without any hindrances, Bilagi said. At the meeting, it was also decided that all Escoms must equip themselves to meet the demand with sufficient financial strength to purchase power and be prepared for any contingency that maybe required at the state-level.
The BESCOM has estimated the peak demand in March to be around 7,600 megawatts per day and the power consumption in the month is likely to touch 132 million units. An average of 7,400 megawatts per day was recorded for 12 days this month. In April, an average of 7,650 megawatts of power is estimated and consumption of power will likely reach 135 million units in the month.
KPTCL employees union call off protest
A day after the members of the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) had announced going on strike, the union members called off the protests on Wednesday. The union members met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who assured to meet the demand to increase their salary by 20 per cent. He also requested the members to discontinue the protest.
“We had held a prolonged meeting with Energy Department Minister V Sunil Kumar on late Tuesday night, where it was decided to increase the salary by 20 per cent. On Wednesday, the CM and the two departments agreed to our demands. Hence, we have decided to end the strike,” said the union members.