The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Two-hour load-shedding in Bangalore every day

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Friday, Jul 31, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Two-hour load-shedding in Bangalore every day

Special Correspondent

Villages to get electricity only for 10 hours a day

We will try our best to supply power 24x7 in Bangalore: Eshwarappa
Load-shedding rota to be in force in August, September in entire State

BANGALORE: There will be load-shedding in Bangalore city for two hours a day — one hour each during the peak hours in the morning and evening.

Minister for Energy K.S. Eshwarappa told presspersons that officials of all electricity supply companies would announce the schedule of power supply in villages and urban areas on Friday.

“This load-shedding rota will be in force in August and September in the entire State. We will try our best to supply power 24x7 in Bangalore,” he said.

The Minister, who chaired a Cabinet sub-committee meeting on power on Wednesday, said villages would get electricity only for 10 hours a day as per the load-shedding rota prepared by all the power supply companies. They would get only five hours of three-phase supply (on which irrigation pump sets can operate) and another five hours of single-phase power a day, he said.

The State had been generating 117 million units (mu) of electricity a day as against the demand for 120 mu.

The hydro-power plants had been generating 40 mu, thermal plants 37 mu, and 27 mu was coming from the Central grid, 12 mu from non-conventional sources, and 1 mu from independent power producers, he said.

The State was receiving about 800 MW against the allocated 1,543 MW from the Central grid.

The continued dry spell in the Mysore region and consumption of power by IP sets were the major reasons for the increase in demand for power. The demand, generally, increased by 10 to 20 per cent a year in the State.

The demand for power would increase from 120 mu in August to 125 mu in September, while generation would increase from 117 mu to 119 mu.

Based on the two months’ experience, the department would announce its plan for the rest of the year in October, he said.

He said gram panchayats had been instructed to clear bills related to water supply and other connections soon. Asked about supply of power to industries in Bangalore, the Minister 24x7 power would be supplied to industries if they agreed to pay higher tariff.

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