Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), popularly known as Powercom, on Sunday claimed that it has been providing eight-hour power supply to its all agriculture users, besides providing 24-hour power supply to all other category of consumers.
At the same time, PSPCL chairman-cum-managing director Baldev Singh Sran said that the state power utility supplied 2,638 lakh units (LUs) of electricity on June 22 (Saturday), to all the power consumers within Punjab without imposing any power cut on domestic, commercial and industrial consumers and eight hours to AP (agriculture pump sets) consumer — the highest during the ongoing paddy or summer season so far which is 183 LUs more than last year’s 2455 LUs on the same day.
Maximum demand on June 22, 2019, was 11,994 MW which is about 1000 MW higher as compared to 10988 MW last year on the same day, he said.
CMD also maintained that the PSPCL is providing daily eight hours power supply to its agriculture consumers in Punjab from June 13, 2019 — the start of paddy season, along with 24 hours power supply to all other category of consumers.
He said that the arrangements have been made for meeting demand of 14,000 MW although anticipated demand by PSPCL is likely to be 13,500 MW.
“Arrangements have been made for 1000 MW from own hydro, 1760 MW from own thermal, 4580 MW from Central Sector including BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board), 3370 MW from IPPs (independent power producers) in Punjab, 800 MW from NRSE (New and Renewable Energy) sources as well as banking arrangements up to 2570 MW have been made for paddy season.
Sran said that heavy storms, in the mid of June, had severely damaged the distribution infrastructure of PSPCL in some pockets. “About 7,100 poles and 1,300 transformers were uprooted or had fallen down due to heavy storms. PSPCL managed to re-erect most of the fallen infrastructure, that is poles, lines, transformers etc within a short time and ensured the committed power supply to AP consumers and other categories,” he said.
Further, wherever eight hours daily was disturbed due to storms, same has been compensated by giving extra supply during the following days.
Sran along with management of PSPCL acknowledged and appreciated the efforts made by field officers and officials to replace the large number of damaged poles and transformers in such a short time despite many constraints.
He called upon officers or officials to keep up the good work and ensure quality service to esteemed consumers of the state.
“PSPCL is receiving large number of reports regarding stealing of oil and other parts by unscrupulous elements from transformers installed in fields,” he pointed while appealing to all the farmers that they should keep a vigil and inform PSPCL wherever they have any clue about such elements.
To record the complaints of consumers, a centralized 24X7 toll free number — 1912, 104 Nodal Complaint Centers, Third Party Feedback Agency are already in action, he said adding that the consumers can also register complaints through SMS, PSPCL website, mobile app.