J&K secures additional 300 MW to bridge winter demand

Srinagar, Dec 29: Jammu and Kashmir received an additional 300 MW of electricity from central electricity generation companies (Gencos), providing much-needed relief during the peak winter season when demand for power in the Valley exceeds supply.

In Kashmir, where power demand often climbs to over 1900 MW during winter, the Valley has been facing significant shortfalls. Until last week, electricity allocation hovered between 1200-1400 MW, leading to frequent unscheduled power cuts.

With the increased allocation, the supply rose to 1922 MW on Sunday evening which is the highest load served this year, reducing the gap and ensuring better adherence to scheduled power cuts.

“Our allocation has improved, and we are currently supplying 1922 MW while our forecast is 1900 MW. This marks a significant improvement in supply and will help reduce unscheduled power cuts,” a senior official from Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) said.

Despite this improvement, uninterrupted power remains an unattainable goal for now.

Officials said that high power losses and incomplete metering continue to hinder the region’s energy efficiency.

“As the CM has said, uninterrupted power cannot be provided until 100 percent metering is achieved,” the official said.

The additional allocation would allow KPDCL to stick to its curtailment schedule.

Metered areas with lower losses will face 4.5 hours of daily outages, non-metered areas will experience 6 hours, and rural areas will endure 8 hours of cuts.

While Jammu’s peak demand occurs during summer, Kashmir’s demand surges in winter, often leading to more pressing shortages.

The improvement in allocation follows calls for action, including a campaign by Greater Kashmir, which emphasised the need for additional power supply to address the Valley’s energy crisis.

Currently, J&K is receiving over 3100 MW of electricity with 1922 MW allocated to Kashmir and 1203 MW to Jammu.

Meanwhile, restoration work following recent snowfall is nearly complete, further stabilising the power supply across the region.