Riyaz Bhat
Srinagar, Jan 15: With the unrelenting dry spell, the power generation capacity in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to get impacted and the Power Development Department (PDD) may fall in distress like situation in the upcoming summer and winter seasons.
Principal Secretary, Power Development Department (PDD) H Rajesh Prasad said, “The ongoing long dry spell will likely have an impact on power generation in the upcoming summer and winter season.”
“If weather situation remains the same, I think we will be in distress in upcoming summer and winter seasons. If it persists, the problem won’t end in the summer season only; this will affect more in the next winter season wherein we usually face water shortage,” Prasad said.
The principal secretary further said that as of now, the PDD was generating 200-250 MWs out of a total generation capacity of over 1200 MWs. “In summers we have a peak season of power generation. During summers we generate over 1100-1200 MWs.”
In the meantime, top officials of the PDD said, “As of now the ongoing dry spell will not affect power generation from the ongoing season. However, if it persists, the dry spell will likely affect power generation from the upcoming seasons.”
The official further said that the department was not getting any immediate impact “But keeping in view the ongoing weather situations, we assume that the power generation at peak season will get affected.”
It also said, “This winter season we have already witnessed extremely low water levels and from the upcoming season, we may witness the worst of it, if we won’t have any major rains and snowfall.”
Pertinently, in December it was already reported that the power generation capacity from Jammu and Kashmir has reduced by nearly 85 percent due to the water shortage.
From across the region, the total power generation capacity is 1200 Megawatts.
Principal Secretary of PDD H Rajesh Prasad had said that there was a huge shortfall of power generation from the Union Territory pool.
“From state pool, we have a power generation capacity of 1200 MWs. However, due to the shortage of water in December-2023, we are generating only 150 MWs during the ongoing winters,” Prasad said.
The Principal Secretary had further said that Jammu and Kashmir was more dependent on the central pool to fulfill the power gaps at larger extent.
Prasad said, “From the total capacity of 2800 MWs, we are getting 2650 MWs from the central pool and only 150 MWs are being generated from the state pool. This includes all the recent PPAs made by the JKPDD.”
Earlier on December-12, authorities said that the Jammu Kashmir government in the ongoing fiscal has signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for 2500 MW to double the existing power availability.
