Power Peril | Kashmir endures persistent blackouts

Srinagar, Dec 18: Despite government assurances on power purchases, Kashmir is in the grip of persistent power cuts, causing inconvenience to residents and hampering economic activities.

Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has launched a crackdown on power pilferage, targeting consumers engaged in theft, however, the unscheduled power cuts continue to haunt Kashmiris both in metered as well as non-metered areas.

KPDCL officials reveal that peak power demand in Kashmir has surged beyond 2000 MW, while the allocated power for 19 hours remains at 1400 MW, increasing to 1600 MW for five hours in the evening.

A senior KPDCL official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the shortfall, saying, “Despite the increase in power allocation last month, we are unable to meet the demand exceeding 2000 MW. The deficit in supply and demand has led to load shedding, resulting in unscheduled power cuts.”

The KPDCL's curtailment schedule indicates power cuts ranging from 4.5 to 6 hours for metered areas in both urban and rural regions, with non-metered areas facing an eight-hour outage across the Valley, however, this official curtailment schedule according to locals is hardly implemented.

The residents expressed frustration over the ongoing power cuts, with Shabir Ahmad from Sanat Nagar saying, “Despite announcements of additional power purchases, we face unscheduled power cuts for hours, disrupting daily chores and causing mental agony.”

Rural areas like Pattan report even worse power situations than urban areas.

Firdous Hamid laments that the power scenario in Pattan had not improved since the onset of winter.

The recurring and protracted power outages in Kashmir are causing difficulties for people suffering from respiratory diseases and those on oxygen support.

In the absence of a seamless supply of electricity, the patients are forced to either press generators into service or use oxygen concentrators, which results in enhanced treatment costs.

“A 15-litre oxygen cylinder costs between Rs 250 and Rs 300 and it lasts for around three hours,” said Waseem Ahmad, a resident of Nailbal.

A senior KPDCL official emphasised their efforts against power theft, saying, “Every day, we take action against hundreds of consumers involved in power theft. Seventy percent of our consumers are non-metered, with loads exceeding their agreed capacity, leading to significant electricity losses and revenue deficits.”

Official data accessed by Greater Kashmir underscores the severity of the situation, revealing that the agreed load, set at 2171 MW by the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL), has consistently increased from 1911 MW in March 2021 to 2045 MW in 2022, reaching the present agreed load of 2171 MW in 2023.

In stark contrast, the power allocation in Kashmir has fallen far below the agreed load, hovering at a mere 1400 to 1600 MW over the last couple of weeks.

This stark disparity has led to a significant power crisis, prompting the KPDCL to seek solutions, according to KPDCL officials.

Jammu and Kashmir is currently purchasing over 2000 MW of power from outside generators to meet the power demand while the generation from local power plants has dipped to 500 MW.

The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has raised concerns over the diminishing electricity generation from J&K government-owned hydropower projects in J&K.

The Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC) manages these hydroelectric power projects, boasting a total installed capacity of 1211.96 megawatts (MW).