Kashmir endures country’s worst power supply: CEA

Srinagar, Dec 21: In a stark revelation of the power crisis plaguing the region, Kashmir has been identified as having the most unreliable power supply in India, according to the data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

The data from the CEA for 2022 shows a System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) of 889 and a System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) of 723.95 for Kashmir.

These figures starkly contrast with the national averages of 116.12 for SAIDI and 171.64 for SAIFI.

SAIDI measures the average duration of power interruptions experienced by customers annually, while SAIFI quantifies the frequency of these interruptions.

In simpler terms, SAIDI reflects how long, on average, a customer might expect to be without power, and SAIFI indicates how often these outages occur.

Comparatively, even Jammu, has relatively better power reliability with a SAIDI of 489 and a SAIFI of 442, suggesting that the power infrastructure in Jammu is more stable than in Kashmir.

The implications of these high SAIDI and SAIFI indices in Kashmir are profound.

These metrics are not only indicators of service quality but are also used by utility companies to set and meet network target standards approved by regulatory bodies like the Utilities Commission.

Amidst this backdrop, the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) is grappling with an escalating power crisis.

A senior official from KPDCL conceded that the region’s high SAIDI and SAIFI values were indicative of persistent power cuts, which have been worsened by various factors including reduced power purchases and issues related to power theft or pilferage.

The power situation in Kashmir has been under scrutiny, with local residents regularly voicing their frustrations over unpredictable power schedules and lengthy outages that disrupt daily life, business operations, and critical services like healthcare and education.

Despite having a lower per capita power consumption compared to its smaller neighbouring state, Himachal Pradesh, J&K continues to face severe power shortages, especially during the harsh winter months in Kashmir.

Himachal Pradesh, a smaller state in comparison to J&K, has a per capita electricity consumption of 1799 kWh, which is higher than J&K’s 1526 kWh, according to the latest CEA report.

This disparity extends to other neighbouring states as well, with Chandigarh at 1674 kWh, Punjab at 2574 kWh, Delhi at 1848 kWh, and Haryana at 2360 kWh.

Despite these lower figures in consumption, residents of Kashmir are subjected to prolonged and unscheduled power cuts.

“The power situation in J&K has only deteriorated despite an increase in power revenue generation by over 10 to 15 percent. It's a paradox where the generation capacity seems to inversely affect the supply,” said a senior KPDCL official.

The prolonged power cuts in Kashmir are despite J&K possessing huge hydropower generation potential, which has remained unharnessed.