More curbs to save power in Punjab now, compulsory offs for large industry in south and border zones from July 4-7

After three-day compulsory offs for large-scale industry, steel rolling mills and furnaces in central and north zones of Punjab, there will now be mandatory weekly-offs for same categories in south and border zone of the state.

There will be no operations from 8 am of July 4 to 8 am on July 7 in south zone districts — Sangrur, Barnala, Patiala, parts of Fatehgarh Sahib, and border zone districts — Amritsar, Tarantaran, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Fazilka.

Compulsory offs are the reason that the gap of nearly 1,500 MW between demand and supply is being reduced to zero, and hence the remaining segments are being given power supply, revealed Punjab State power corporation limited (PSPCL) authorities.

Meanwhile in the central zone’s designated industrial areas, three days compulsory offs will end on 2 pm of July 4 while in mixed land use areas it will end on 8 am of July 5. In the north zone, compulsory offs on industrial categories will end on 8 pm of July 4.

With various regulatory measures and also due to a dip in temperature because of Friday night rain, total demand in Punjab reduced to 12,056 MW and it was being matched up with supply as well, PSPCL authorities confirmed.

However, there are nearly 14 lakh tubewells in Punjab, earlier the tubewells had motors of 5-7 brake horsepower (BHP) but now farmers have got up to 20 BHP motors installed to take out water.

“High intensity motors need more power,” said Jasvir Dhiman, president of Punjab State electricity Board (PSEB) Engineers Association.

He added, “Bathinda thermal with a generation capacity of 460 MW has been closed down completely while two units of Ropar thermal plant with generation capacity of 420 MW are lying closed for the past 2 years. This total amounts to 880 MW and it could have solved our power crisis to a great extent. Moreover, even if Ropar units had been revived, it would have been some relief at least. However, it takes 4-5 months to revive units lying closed for months together. But no steps were taken to revive them well in time. Last year, we could manage due to lockdown restrictions as demand was less.”

PSPCL CMD A Venu Prasad said, “There is no power cut on small and medium scale industries, compulsory weekly offs in south and border zones will be from 8 am on July 4 to 8 am on July 7.”