Two State-run hydro power projects-Maneri Bhali-I (90 MW) and Maneri Bhali- II (309 MW) having stopped generating power due to various reasons has resulted in a massive deficit of 390 MW on Wednesday. Subsequently, the people of the rural parts of Haridwar and other parts of the State reeled under power outages for hours. UPCl on Wednesday was forced to an emergency ‘rostering’ in various places due to technical snags involving the projects.
Dehradun also grappled with power-cuts after storm and rain lashed it on Wednesday evening.
UPCl spokesperson PC Dhyani said that the power supply at various places in Garhwal was affected after the power generation dipped in the State-run hydro power projects due to technical snags involving in the projects.
Power demand had risen up to 39.51 MU on Wednesday whereas 39.42 million units of electricity were available from the state- based hydro power units, central sectors and other sources. Consequently, the rural residents of Haridwar faced three- hour-long power outages. UPCl received 18.35 MU from various state- based hydro power units on Wednesday, he added.
Moreover, on Wednesday evening, people of vast areas of Dehradun reeled under severe spell of power-cuts due to rain and storm that lashed it. The power that had gone off around 4.30 pm on Wednesday was not restored till late evening at most of the places.
“Monsoon has reached the state and rainfall has been reported at various places since Tuesday. People at many places have been witnessing that when it rains the power goes. We hope that it would not repeat this season,” said Krishan Kant, resident of Vikaslok Colony.
Works at both the government and private offices were disrupted by the power-cuts. Among the most affected localities were Raipur, Premnagar, Shivlok Colony, EC Road, Badripur, Salawala and Ballupur.
Uttarakhand Power Corporation limited (UPCl) spokesperson Dhyani who was unaware of the power -cut on Rajpur Road said that once informd, he would direct the officials to restore supply at the earliest.