J&K to buy additional power to tide over electricity crisis

SRINAGAR, OCT 04: In the face of an escalating power crisis in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the UT administration has reached out to the government of India-owned power generation companies (gencos) to secure additional power supply to mitigate the crisis.

A senior official from the Power Department disclosed to Morning Kashmir that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has urgently requested central assistance to alleviate the power shortage.

The central government has swiftly responded, giving the green light for additional power supply to be directed to Jammu and Kashmir. It is anticipated that this measure will help normalize the situation within the region within the next week.

The power crisis in Jammu and Kashmir has been worsening, leaving consumers grappling with extended power cuts during the day. Authorities have assured residents that discussions are ongoing to resolve the issue, and improvements are expected in the coming days.

However, local consumers have voiced their concerns, stating that the power situation has significantly deteriorated across the valley. They report receiving only 4-5 hours of electricity daily, despite the installation of smart meters in nearly half of Srinagar city, promising round-the-clock power supply. This erratic power supply, persisting for over two weeks, has caused substantial hardship for the affected residents.

Disheartened consumers had hoped for an improvement in the power scenario following the installation of smart meters and the upgrading of power infrastructure over the past four years. Unfortunately, their expectations have not been met, particularly as winter approaches in Kashmir.

Javed Yousuf Dar, the Chief Engineer of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), acknowledged the ongoing efforts by the government to address the power scarcity issue in Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that negotiations were in progress with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and other entities to secure additional electricity for the region. He expressed optimism that extra electricity would be forthcoming in the near future, which should contribute to resolving the current electricity crisis.

However, when questioned about the substantial debt incurred from purchasing electricity from outside sources, the Chief Engineer indicated that he was not privy to those details.

Regarding the current electricity situation, he explained that lower levels of precipitation in preceding months have resulted in reduced water levels in major water bodies, adversely affecting power generation at key power stations. Nevertheless, he reassured the public that efforts were being made to rectify the issue promptly. The situation remains critical, but with the central government’s commitment to provide additional power supply and ongoing discussions with power companies, there is hope that relief is on the horizon for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.