Power Play | KPDCL mulls 24x7 power supply to areas with reduced losses

Srinagar, Feb 2: In a proactive effort to reward consumers residing in areas with decreased Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) is considering the inclusion of additional areas that would soon enjoy round-the-clock power supply.

Managing Director of Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Mussarat-ul-Islam, announced plans to expand the provision of round-the-clock power supply.

“Currently, KPDCL ensures uninterrupted power on 33 feeders, with discussions underway to raise this number to 50 and subsequently to 100 feeders. This initiative is part of a scheme designed to reward customers who consistently pay their bills as per their usage. The decision to extend continuous power supply to areas with lower losses aims to encourage efficient consumption practices among consumers,” he said.

The MD KPDCL said that the crackdown on unauthorised power connections and hooking had yielded positive results, leading to minimal distress power cuts despite limited allocations.

“The coordinated efforts of field staff, along with effective load curtailment programmes, have contributed to the successful management of power distribution. Over the last two months, Kashmir has experienced a significant reduction in distress power cuts, reflecting the impact of these measures in ensuring a more stable and reliable power supply,” he said.

Mussarat clarified that in non-metered areas, the tariff had been increased by only 15 percent.

He addressed concerns raised by some consumers who reported a significant hike in their bills, saying, “It isn’t a tariff increase but a load revision. Some consumers had load agreements for 0.75 KW, but upon inspection by ground staff, it was discovered that they were consistently using a higher load. Consequently, the load agreements were revised based on actual consumption, but even after the revision, their actual consumption remained higher than the revised load agreement. This clarification aims to address the confusion regarding reported bill hikes.”