With the temperature in the State rising with each passing day, the shortage of electricity has become a perennial problem in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of the State.
Established sources revealed that the acute shortage of electricity would have been easily overcome by the department, had the hydro power projects started generating electricity in the coming days.
Although Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam limited (UJVNl) has generated 4812.11 million units of electricity in the previous financial year, the department has been extensively carrying Renovation, Upgradation and Modernisation (RMU) on the State-run hydro power projects to increase the power generation in the State.
Although State-run hydro power projects is generating electricity 14.14 million units, which is definitely insufficient to meet with the growing demand of electricity in the State. Among those hydro power projects that fail to generate electricity is Kalagarh hydro power project and Pathri hydro power project and the power generation is reported to be nil for the last one week due to the maintenance works.
Department sources said that the power generation would have been improved in the State if the RMU work had completed in the last winter. As per the information available, the demand of electricity hover around 37.30 million units against the availability of 35.95 million units by using all means in the State and sources said that the demand of the electricity in the State will further shoot up if the temperature increases in the near future.
It is also equally important to mention here is that the demand of electricity touched 38.05 million units on Saturday. Unable to meet with the growing demand of electricity in the State, Uttarakhand Power Corporation limited (UPCl) has been strictly following the load shedding schedule in the State with remote areas are among the worst sufferers besides, unscheduled power outage is also bothering residents as power supply disrupted due to the over loading.
One of the department sources who wished anonymity told The Pioneer that RMU is a regular feature in the department for the optimum generation of the electricity in the State. He hoped that power generation will further improve in the near future, once all the pending works complete in the coming days.