Even when the mercury is soaring in the state, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) is resorting to cutting the electric supply.
As per the latest update, Maharashtra is passing through a major power crisis as the load shedding or blackout is back after October 2012 amid rising mismatch between demand and supply of power and also due to short supply of coal.
Which areas will be affected?
The state-run power distribution company MahaVitaran has launched load shedding of 1,375 mw which is up to three hours in almost all districts excluding Mumbai, Thane, Mulund, Bhandup, Navi Mumbai and Pune.
Energy Minister Nitin Raut has hinted that the situation will become grim if the centre does not provide adequate coal to the power generating units of the MahaGenco. At present, the coal stock of MahaGenco’s power generation units with total generation capacity of 9,330 mw is ranging between 0.90 days and 7.21 days. The Centre needs to allow the state to import coal to tide over the situation. ‘’Consumers are urged to curtail use of power especially during the morning peak hours from 6 am to 10 am and evening peak hours from 6 pm to 10 pm,’’ he said.
Raut said that the power demand has shot up due to summer and also because of festivals including BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, Ramzan. ‘’Apart from a shortage in coal supply, there are constraints in the availability of railway rakes which is impacting the power generation,’’ he added. The power deficit is of the order of 2,500 mw to 3,000 mw. The state’s demand has increased to 28,850 mw and it is expected to surge to 30,000 mw soon.
The minister claimed that the load shedding in urban areas including Mumbai and Pune is less compared to rural areas and also areas with high distribution and commercial losses. The Mahavitaran has already started receiving 415 mw of the total 760 mw from the Coastal Gujarat Power Limited while another 673 mw from the NTPC.
The load shedding has triggered an angry response from the BJP. The leader of opposition in the state assembly slammed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government for the present power crisis. He claimed that the state has come back to square one as the state is forced to carry out load shedding. He said the people are facing severe hardships due to no governance.
(With inputs from Sanjay Jog)
