No load-shedding this year, says Maha energy minister

There will be no load-shedding in Maharashtra this year as it has adequate coal stocks for power generation, state Energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said.

Addressing reporters here Thursday, he said the state was on the top as far as power generation from renewable sources of energy was concerned.

"We had transmitted a record 24970 MW electricity on March 3, 2018. Electricity generation in Maharashtra had never crossed 20000 MW before this. This year too, we are fully prepared as we have adequate coal stock. There will be no load-shedding in the state this year," he said.

He said six lakh agricultural pumps will be shifted to the solar power network this year.

"Maharashtra is at top slot in renewable energy generation. We reached 3500 MW in wind energy and 1000 MW in co-generation. It is our mission to bring 47 lakh agricultural pumps in the state under solar power in the next five years. We plan to shift six lakh pumps to solar power this year and provide them electricity for up to eight hours a day," he informed.