With demand for power outstripping supply in Punjab due to insufficient pre-monsoon showers and high temperature conditions persisting in this part of the country, the gap between demand and supply of power has widened. This has forced the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (Powercom) to take regulatory measures.
The demand for power this year is much higher than last year. Though Powercom has made more power available, the high demand is difficult to match. According to the Powercom data, the net power consumption on June 22 was 17. 4 million units against its generation of 93.5 million units. Last year, on the same day, the net consumption was 14.65 million units. Powercom officials maintained that this year almost 1,000 Mw of load has been added because of release of new connections, resulting in a huge gap.
Further, during the paddy season last year, there was a demand of about 6,500-6,800 Mw which has already risen to 7,800 Mw this year. In order to bridge the gap between demand and supply and reduce load, Powercom has taken some regulatory measures. It has suggested its customers to use air conditioners sparingly, avoid use of decorative lights, use electricity judiciously and replace incandescent lamps with CFLs or LEDs. It has also appealed to all municipal corporations to not switch on street lights until dark, ensure that they are switched off early in the morning and not to switch on street lights during full moon nights.
Also, to ensure proper supply to the farmers during the paddy season, the state has earmarked Rs 1,800 crore for short-term power purchase, besides banking arrangements with other states. Officials in Powercom said that the meteorological department has predicted good monsoons which bring relief to the customers.
Meanwhile, in order to overcome the rising gap between demand and supply in the state and to encourage private power developers, the Punjab government has constituted a Power Generation Projects Committee to monitor the implementation of power projects in the state. The committee is headed by the principal secretary, power. The chairman andmanaging director, and director, finance of Powercom will be its members and the director general of Powercom will be the convener of the committee. This was disclosed by the chairman Punjab State Power Corporation Limited K D Chaudhary. He defined the role of the Punjab government to facilitate site selection, land acquisition, clearances and infrastructure.
The Punjab government has offered a number of incentives for setting up of power generation projects, which includes 100 per cent exemption from payment of fee and stamp duty for registration for the land, 100 per cent exemption from payment of land use charges and EDC, 100 per cent exemption from entry tax, and waiver of 50 per cent electricity duty for construction.
