Power blackout will not cause grid failure: Ashwini Vaishnaw

BHUBANESWAR: Rajya Sabha member from Odisha Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday debunked the opposition’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for diya lighting and switching off lights at 9 pm for nine minutes on Sunday to show national solidarity against coronavirus pandemic will destabilise national grid and create disruption in power supply. Vaishnaw said the PM has requested citizens only to switch off the lights at home during the time. “All other electrical appliances such as TV, fan and refrigerator will continue to run. Besides, street lights and lights of other essential services will continue to be on.

Therefore, against the expected power demand of 115 to 125 GW (gigawatt), the light-out will only shed 10 to 15 GW demand and our grids have robust design to bear this fluctuation,” Vaishnaw said. He said 20 to 25 per cent cushion is always built into any engineering design of grids.

Besides, quick start-stop power systems like hydro and gas-based power generators can absorb much larger variations. “The fear of power disruption spreading by some sections is false. Let us all unite in the cause of fighting coronavirus and show our solidarity to most affected sections of society,” he said.

Only switch off lights, not TVs, ACs: Govt Bhubaneswar: In view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to switch off lights at 9 pm on April 5, the State Government on Saturday clarified that people may continue running other appliances such as TVs, refrigerators and ACs in their homes without any apprehension.Chief Spokesperson on Covid-19 of Odisha Government Subroto Bagchi said street lights along with lights in hospitals and other essential services will remain open.

He said residential/housing societies and apartments have been requested not to switch off their main supply at feeder. He also requested people to switch on the lights in their home progressively with some time interval. Meanwhile, as per the Chief Minister’s announcement, 19,759 registered street vendors have been provided financial assistance of `3000 each in 61 towns. Bagchi said food and accommodation have been ensured for around 28,000 migrant workers from outside the State stranded in Odisha through 418 camps. Food was provided to over three lakh destitute persons in 5,199 gram panchayats. Similarly, as many as 23,574 persons were provided food in 107 urban local bodies, he added.