APEPDCL imposes industrial power cut in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district from 6 to 10 pm

SRIKAKULAM: The Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited (APEPDCL) has started regulating electricity supply in Srikakulam district in view of the power crisis looming large over the State due to shortage of coal.

The APEPDCL has imposed 6 to 10 pm power cut for all industries, except food processing units, to supply uninterrupted power to rural areas.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic power consumption has increased steeply in the district due to rise in usage of ACs, air coolers, geysers and other home appliances. According to official sources, the district needs 250-300 MW power per hour. It has become a big challenge for APEPDCL to supply uninterrupted power to domestic consumers as well as industries.

With this, some domestic consumers have been facing unauthorised power cuts and low voltage problem due to overload in peak hours.To overcome this problem, APEPDCL has imposed 6 to 10 pm industrial power cut. Granite, crushing, cashew, pharma, paper and other industries had started facing power cut from Monday.

With the imposition of power cut, the APEPDCL has been saving at least 50-60 MW per hour and the same will be supplied to domestic consumers in rural areas. Though the power cut may impact industries, domestic consumers in rural area have got a big relief from low voltage problem and unauthorised power cuts.  

Speaking to The New Indian Express, APEPDCL Superintending Engineer L Mahendranath said, "As per higher officials' orders, we have been imposing 6 to 10 pm power cut for all industries, except food processing units. We can save up to 60 MW power and it will be useful to supply uninterrupted power to rural areas. I appeal to people to minimise the power consumption by avoiding use of ACs, air coolers and other home appliances that consume more power. This emergency load relief will help the APEPDCL to avoid low voltage, overload and grid failures."

Palasa Industrial Estate Cashew Association president M Rameswara Rao said, "Though cashew industry comes under the food processing category, the APEPDCL is implementing power cut, which will have an adverse impact on production. We will lose one cashew production cycle per week with the imposition of four hour power cut. It will impact quality of cashewnut and its price."

"We have at least 300 cashew units and more than 20,000 people in and around Palasa are dependent on it for their living. We do not have high capacity power generators to continue our production during power cut. Hence, we appeal to the State government to exempt cashew industry from power cut," Rameswara Rao said.