Following shortfall in the volume of water in rivers, the electricity generation in State-run hydropower projects has been affected for the last few days. Uttarakhand Power Corporation limited (UPCl) on Friday was forced to an emergency ‘rostering’ in various places due to technical snags involving the projects.
UPCl official said that power demand has increased due to shortage of rainfall in the state. People are consuming power as they are facing hot and humid condition. Power demand in the state has increased up to 40. 00 MU on Friday and consequently, the rural residents of Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar faced two- hour power outages while one hour power- cut was imposed on the small towns of Roorkee, Haldwani, Rudrapur, Pant Nagar, non -continuous industrial SIIDCUl and Kashipur till by 5 pm on Friday. The power generation was adversely affected at state hydro-power plant-Kalagarrh (198 MW) of Hydro Power Corporation for three hours. The power supply at various places in Garhwal and Kumaon regions was affected after the power generation dipped in the State-run hydro power projects due to low water level in the rivers and other technical snags involving the projects.
UPCl spokesperson Madhusudan said that the demand for electricity in the State on Friday was 40.50 million units whereas 37.41 million units of electricity were available from the state- based hydro power units, central sectors and other sources. UPCl received 16.86 MU from various state- based hydro power units on Thursday. Some of the State run- hydro power projects have remained non-functional due to various reasons which are causing dips in power generation capacity of the State. The State received just 14.35 MU from the central government. The power demand on Thursday was 40.50 MW while more than 40.00 MW in the state on Friday.
UPCl would purchase 6 MU from Indian Energy Exchange to overcome the shortfall and around 100 MW would also be purchased from Adani Power Point at Mundra, Gujarat on Saturday.