2-hour load-shedding back across Karnataka

2-hour load-shedding back across Karnataka
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Load-shedding is back. After a gap of nearly a month, the Karnataka government on Tuesday reintroduced load-shedding across the state for a duration of one to two hours a day.
Energy minister K S Eshwarappa did dish out a salve, maintaining load-shedding is only for “a couple of days”. The crisis is triggered by the Linganamakki reservoir dropping to its one-fifth of the level. “The demand for power has peaked to a record 116 million units per day, forcing us to bank on all the seven units of Raichur Thermal Power Station.’’
There are no worrylines yet as Karnataka’s coal reserves in thermal plants will last up to 10 days. Besides signing agreements with Tata and Jindal for buying 50 MW of power, the government might tap other private players too. “September turned out to be a surprise dry spell,’’ Eshwarappa said. The government has done flip-flops on load-shedding: during August-end, it said there would be no power cuts from Sept 1, but within days load-shedding was back.
SWITCH ON, SWITCH OFF
June 21: Bangalore braces for power cuts July 27: Load-shedding to be eased July 29: No power cuts, says CM August 6: Load-shedding is back August 13: Power cuts withdrawn August 26: Load-shedding back August 27: No power cuts from September Sept. 30: Load-shedding is back Power cuts to hit festive season
Bangalore: As the city is gearing up for the festivities coming up, the much dreaded load shedding is back again - an hour long, any time between 6 am and 10 pm. All feeders from the five sub stations are being instructed to cut power by the KPTCL load despatch section.
According to Bescom officials, one-hour loadshedding will take place on rotation basis till the situation improves. Early this year, Bescom had claimed that there would be hardly any power cuts. However, less rainfall and problems at the thermal power plants have created power scarcity due to less generation.
‘Favourable response for Kannur plant’
Eshwarappa on Tuesday spiked reports on the Centre not giving permission to the proposed ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Kannur, Bijapur. He said the Central team gave a favourable report on setting up a power plant there, but approved for only 2,000 MW plant, while the state has plans to establish 4,000 MW plant.
The team had expressed satisfaction on the location which is nearer to Goa port and Almatti waters. “The government will take a delegation to the Centre to apprise on the need to set up a 4,000 MW plant in Kannur, the minister said.