End power woes

With winter approaching, Kashmir is witnessing a sharp spike in electricity demand, nearly 200 megawatts more than the previous season. This increase, while expected, highlights an urgent need to prepare for what has long been a difficult time for residents across the Valley. Each winter, Kashmir faces prolonged power cuts, unscheduled outages and erratic supply, despite being a significant contributor to hydropower generation in the region. The rising demand, largely due to heating needs, water boilers and reduced daylight, only adds pressure to strained power infrastructure. This year presents an opportunity to break the cycle. Authorities must act now and not react later. That means ramping up power procurement, ensuring timely maintenance of infrastructure and strengthening grid capacity before the harshest months arrive. It also calls for better coordination between power departments and consumers, with clear communication and improved billing mechanisms. In the long run, Jammu & Kashmir needs a more equitable share of its own hydroelectric output, along with investment in sustainable and decentralised energy solutions. Reliance on outdated load-shedding schedules and blanket curtailments is no longer acceptable. Electricity is not just a utility but essential to education, health, business and daily life, especially during harsh winters. People across the Valley deserve reliable power, not another season of blackouts and broken promises. This winter, the administration must ensure that the story is different, which is warmth, planning and accountability. The rising demand is not a crisis yet but a warning and a chance to do better.