Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Nov 27: An additional 500 MW of electricity, which the government has decided to purchase, will bring the valley out of the present power crisis, officials said.
Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, H Rajesh Prasad said that they will be able to maintain the curtailment schedule within the valley.
“These additional 500 MW will bring normalcy and relief to the people. We will be able to maintain the power cut schedule. People will get electricity as the load shedding will be maintained,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday approved the purchase of an additional 500 MW of firm power from the Ministry of Power (MOP) to meet the base load power requirement of J&K.
To bridge this gap between demand and availability of power during winter months, the AC approved the signing of a fresh Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) by J&K Power Corporation Limited (JKPCL) with NTPC regarding Singrauli-III run by NTPC.
Prasad informed that the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) will be signed in a day or two following which the valley will get the additional power supply.
“We have been waiting for approval. In a day or two, the PPA will be signed by J&K Power Corporation Limited (JKPCL) with NTPC. Formalities have been completed regarding it and now we are ready for the agreement,” he said.
The Principal Secretary PDD said the supply of electricity to the valley has already increased to nearly 1600 MWs. “Currently, we are getting between 1500-1600MWs of electricity. We are hopeful the power situation will enhance with the procurement of additional 500 MWs,” he said.
Prasad said they will also now launch a sustained campaign across the valley for the judicious use of electricity.
“We will now raise awareness among the people for judicious use of electricity. We will use various mediums to highlight the need for judicious use of electricity,” he said.
Pertinently, the valley for the last two months has been facing an acute power crisis.
From domestic to commercial consumers, the power crisis has affected everyone in Kashmir.
While domestic consumers said they didn’t get electricity as per the curtailment schedule, industrialists said their losses have mounted to nearly 75 percent.
