The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Centre cuts State’s share of power by 150 MW

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Tuesday, Jan 01, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Centre cuts State’s share of power by 150 MW

Special Correspondent

‘This will make it difficult to manage supply during peak hours’

Union Government increases Tamil Nadu’s quota of electricity
State expects Punjab to supply 4 to 6 million units of power a day shortly

BANGALORE: In a setback to the State’s power sector, the Centre has reduced Karnataka’s power share from the unallocated quota (a special quota of power which would be given to different States depending upon their power requirements) from the Central Generating Stations (CGS) by 150 MW, leading to increase in the summer woes of this power-starved State.

Crucial time

The move comes at a crucial time when the State’s power demand is increasing sharply owing to the prolonged dry spell, forcing it to scout for additional power from other States.

Disclosing this to presspersons on the sidelines of a programme organised by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited Accountants Officers’ Association to release its technical diary here on Monday, Managing Director of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited Bharatlal Meena said that the Centre’s action had made it difficult for the State to manage power supply during peak hours when consumption increased, leading to a shortage of electricity of about 15 per cent.

Reduced

The Union Government had increased Tamil Nadu’s quota of power while that of Karnataka and Andhra had been reduced, Mr. Meena said.

He said that the State would take up the issue with the Union Government.

Officials of the Energy Department, Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited and the five electricity supply companies in the State would hold a meeting with the Adviser to Governor Rameshwar Thakur on January 2 and review the power supply situation in the State, he said.

The State was expecting an increase in the unallocated share from the Central Generating Stations as it believes that it has been given a raw deal by the Centre in allocating its share.

Additional grant

The State wrote to the Union Government in the beginning of this year seeking an additional grant of 500 MW from the unallocated quota.

The then Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy met the Union Power Minister and appealed to him to increase the State’s share of electricity from the unallocated quota.

Mr. Meena said that the State expected Punjab to supply 4 to 6 million units of power a day shortly.

Arrangement

Under a banking arrangement, Karnataka had supplied four to five million units a day to Punjab when it had additional power during south-west monsoon, Mr. Meena said.

Punjab should reciprocate the gesture when Karnataka was facing power shortage, he said.

In addition to the committed quantum of electricity, Karnataka would request Punjab to supply 50 MW of electricity, Mr. Meena said.

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