The BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are loggerheads over the issue of power cuts in the national Capital. Hitting back, Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood on Friday dismissed AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s claims of prolonged power outages in Burari as factually incorrect, stating that officials from the power department have been dispatched to verify the truth.
He said the reported power cut was a minor and localised incident. Countering Kejriwal’s claim that there were no power cuts during his tenure, the Minister cited data from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), which monitors all grids in Delhi. He challenged Kejriwal to verify the facts instead of spreading misinformation.
He also remarked that Atishi is compelled to defend Kejriwal, given her position in the party. Sood said the Delhi Government has asked the DERC to review the power purchase agreements (PPAs) of discoms in the national Capital under Section 108 of the Electricity Act.
Sharing power outages data during the AAP tenure, the power minister said in January 2025 alone, there were 3,278 instances of power cuts.
“During the AAP regime, there were significant power outages lasting over an hour each month-2,660 instances in January 2024, 2,881 in February, 2,745 in March, 1,567 in April, 676 in May, 605 in June, 602 in July, 690 in August, 1,531 in September, 1,852 in October, 1,000 in November, 1,510 in December, and 3,278 instances in January 2025,” he said.
He accused Kejriwal’s aides of withholding crucial information from him, leading to his misleading statements.
His assertion came in response to the AAP supremo’s remarks regarding power cuts in Jagatpur Extension and Sood said the electricity supply in the area has already been improved. He clarified that the reported power cut was a minor and localised incident. His criticism came after the residents of Jagatpur village in Burari staged a protest against Delhi’s electricity department, claiming to face prolonged power cuts.
The Minister emphasised that, upon taking charge, the Government prioritised reviewing the preparedness of all DISCOMs concerning Delhi’s electricity situation within the first month.
He stated that Delhi’s peak power demand this summer is expected to reach 9,000 MW. The Government has assessed the power purchase agreements of all electricity companies and has instructed the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) to review these agreements under Section 108. The Minister further directed that comprehensive details of the existing power purchase agreements should also be gathered. Additionally, a 24x7 control room has been established to address electricity-related concerns.
The Minister also announced the formation of a joint control room with DTL and DISCOMs to monitor power loads in real time. This system will help identify overburdened feeders, prevent asset damage, and allow for load redistribution between feeders. Sood revealed that, if necessary, the Delhi Government has sought permission from the Centre to procure electricity from the unshared power schedule.
The Minister accused Kejriwal and his party of playing politics on every issue, creating fear among the people of Delhi to sustain their diminishing political relevance. He explained that planned power outages occur every year as part of both Summer and Winter Action Plans, allowing BSES and Tata DISCOMs to carry out essential maintenance work on
transmission lines. Further, he criticised Kejriwal for his lack of administrative experience, stating that had he ever managed a department, he would have understood the realities on the ground. Presenting statistical data, Sood detailed that during the previous government’s tenure, there were significant power outages lasting over an hour each month.
