Darker nights ahead in Kashmir as Power Deptt set to issue power curtailment schedule for winter

Raouf Dar
Srinagar Oct 12 (KINS): With the onset of winter, the Power Department is set to issue a power curtailment schedule as the demand for electricity goes up.
For the last two weeks, people have been complaining of abrupt power cuts.
An official of the Power Department said they are framing a power curtailment schedule for the winter. “Once it is finalized, it will be issued,” the official told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
The official said they provide on an average 1300 MWs of electricity to consumers in Kashmir.
“During winters the demand reaches 1800 MWs. The Power Department has also failed to put in place required infrastructure for receiving additional electricity from the central grids,” the official said.
Another senior official said that if the consumers make judicious use of electricity, there is no need for long power curtailment in the coming months.
“We have seen that power thefts and use of heaters and boilers by the consumers cause the overloading. People should use electricity judiciously so there will be less curtailment,” the official said.
The Centre has been allotting additional 700 MWs of power to Jammu and Kashmir in view of higher demand in winters. But there has been no improvement in Union Territory as authorities have failed to augment the existing infrastructure to receive additional electricity from the central grids.
“Additional allocation of power will overcome power crises only when required infrastructure is in place. How will we handle additional power when there is no infrastructure available? There will be improvement in power supply only when new girds are commissioned,” the official said.
Meanwhile, people from various areas complain of abrupt power cuts. “We are facing power cuts for the last few weeks. Power goes off at any time during the day,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of Beerwah Budgam.
People of main town Baramulla also complain of power cuts.(KINS)