Unscheduled power cuts are back

• Rising temperature, Rabi cause worry
• Likely to be made official from January
• Shortage of coal, natural gas continues
• Transco move afoot to purchase 2,000 MW
• State also seeking more gas supplies

Hyderabad: With the day temperatures rising in many parts of the state in the last two days, the demand for power has gone up, forcing the power utilities to resort to unscheduled power cuts in the districts on Wednesday. The power consumption in the last two days was put at 260 million units (mu) per day as against 250 mu demand in the winter season, doubling the demand-supply gap to 20 mu. APTransco officials said that with no option left, Discoms were asked to adopt load shedding till the gap was reduced.

Unscheduled power cuts were imposed for 2 to 4 hours in municipalities, for 3 to 5 hours in mandal headquarters and for 4 to 5 hours in villages which come under the purview of APCPDCL, EPDCL and NPDCL. However, the consumers, including those in the capital, under APCPDCL purview have been spared the trouble.

Since the shortage of coal and natural gas continues, power cuts would be announced officially from January, say the officials. They also point to more demand during the Rabi season that begins in January and ends in April. APTransco has forecast that the power demand would increase to 265 mu in January, 275 mu in February, 305 mu in March and 300 mu in April.

In order to meet the demand, Transco has already called for tenders to purchase 2,000 MW power in the next summer.

The government is also making efforts to get 0.5 mmscmd (Million Metric Standard Cubic feet per day ) of gas additionally to generate additional 100 mw power (2.4 million units) a day.