Big respite for power consumers

Srinagar, Nov 30: In a respite to the power consumers of Jammu and Kashmir during peak winters, the Centre has increased power allocation to J&K by about 293 MWs, by transferring power from distant powerhouses in West Bengal, Bihar, and even Bhutan.

A spokesman of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD) in a statement issued here said that in today’s digital era, modern tools and software enable power transfer and management in an automated manner without requiring any human intervention, depending upon the demand, availability, and the network feasibility.

Regarding new power allocations made by the Centre to J&K, the spokesman said that J&K, being primarily dependent on hydroelectric power, faces a significant fall in generation during winters due to low water levels in rivers and around 85 percent of power supply during winters is sourced from thermal plants to compensate for the deficit during winters.

The spokesman said that J&K was making every effort to ensure sustainable and firm power availability throughout the year.
In this direction, during the current financial year, J&K has entered into historic Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for 1600 MW of solar power, 900 MW from hydro, and an additional 500 MW from thermal plants,
currently in progress following the decision of the J&K’s Administrative Council under the Shakti Policy.

This would not only lead towards resource adequacy for the region, but also provide an optimal mix of hydro, thermal, and solar generation while the efforts are underway to harness wind power as well so that the strength behind renewable energy is utilised to the maximum.

Addressing concerns raised in a news item published in Greater Kashmir on November 30, 2023, highlighting a surge in interruptions in J&K, the spokesman said that a persistent issue contributing to these interruptions was the non-disclosure of actual electric load by consumers.

Regarding the hours of power supply to consumers, the spokesperson said that smart metering was under implementation in mission mode and the focus was on ensuring uninterrupted and regular power supply in areas saturated with smart meters, while also curbing losses.

In areas without smart metering, the department is sustaining the same number of power supply hours as maintained during the previous year.

Moreover, there is a curtailment schedule in effect which is diligently being published to prevent any inconvenience to the public.

The spokesman said that contrary to the mention of hammams in another news item, electricity remains the primary and preferred source for heating, with people using crude nichrome wires or non-thermostat-
fitted heaters which remain operational throughout the day.
Recognising the urgency, he emphasised discontinuing the use of obsolete and environmentally unfriendly electric heating systems.

The spokesman also mentioned that numerous crude heaters which had been banned by the department were recovered by the enforcement squads of KPDCL in the recently conducted inspection drives.

In addition to maintaining a reliable power supply amidst extreme weather conditions, the Power Development Department (PDD) is proactively engaged in eradicating instances of illegal hooking.

In the last seven days, inspection teams of KPDCL have conducted 7585 inspections in different districts of Kashmir region and imposed a fine of Rs 68 lakh on the defaulters.