JAMMU, Apr 8: Power supply situation across the Jammu region will turn grim in the coming days as even in the month of April the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) is facing shortfall of 200 Mega Watts (MW) because of unexpected rise in the temperature and non-availability of sufficient electricity from the Northern Grid.
From the middle of March till date the temperature in Jammu has witnessed unexpected rise and this has led to use of Air Conditioners (ACs) on large scale as such the consumption of electricity by the domestic consumers has increased considerably much to the disappointment of the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited.
On the other side, because of less discharge of water in the rivers and subsequent acute shortfall in the generation of electricity by the hydro-electric projects the Northern Grid is not in a position to provide electricity as per the contract signed with the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the official figures, at present there is requirement of 1100 Mega Watts of electricity per day across the Jammu region while as availability from all the sources is just 900 Mega Watts as such there is shortfall of 200 Mega Watts.
Due to inability of the Northern Grid to provide electricity as per the agreement, the Government has left with the only option of purchasing power from the market, which is not feasible keeping in view hefty rate of Rs 15 per unit. “If the generation from the hydro-electric projects remains static or declines in the coming days the market rate of the electricity will increase further and in such a situation the Government will be left with no other option but to resort to further curtailments”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“Though the J&K Government has signed the contract with the Northern Grid for 2600 Mega Watts but it cannot force the Northern Grid to provide electricity as per the agreement especially when there is drastic decline in generation from hydro-electric projects”, sources said, adding “as the consumption of electricity by the domestic consumers will increase considerably in the coming days due to continuous rise in the temperature the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited will have to resort to curtailments in all the areas”.