Power crisis deepens in Punjab; six units of four thermals plants shut
Patiala, June 13: Notwithstanding tall claims made by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) recently with regard to ensuring eight hours of power supply to farmers for paddy transplantation beginning June 10 to June 17 in a phased manner, power crisis further depended in the state on Monday.
With the onset of the paddy season in Punjab, the demand for electricity has also increased. However, four units of two government thermal plants and two units of private thermals were shut down on Monday due to technical faults.
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On the other hand, Four units of Ropar and Lehra Mohabbat plants with capacity of 210-210 MW, six units of Talwandi Sabo with capacity of 660 MW and one unit each with capacity of 270 MW of GVK are already closed. By 10.30 am on Monday, the demand for electricity was recorded at 11,000 MW.
One unit of the Lehra Mohabbat thermal power plant has been shut since May 13 due to ESP breakdown and another has been closed since June 12 due to ash handling problem. Units five and six of Ropar were shut down Monday morning due to technical glitches Unit number two of Talwandi Sabo private thermal plant plant is also closed due to technical fault while GVK is closed due to a shortage of coal.
Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh assured that all esteemed consumers of corporation would be provided continued, uninterrupted and quality power supply in Punjab.
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Transplantation in the areas beyond barbed wire along international border started from June 10, followed by 10 districts — Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, Kapurthala, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Taran Tarn, Rupnagar and SAS Nagar; and in the second phase from June 14 and in the remaining 13 districts of Bathinda, Barnala, Faridkot, Shri Mukatsar Sahib, Patiala, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Mansa, Moga, Fazilka from June 17.
-PTC News with inputs from Gagandeep Ahuja
