UP CM apologises for power crisis

Tendering apology to the people for the power crisis, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today hinted at the hike in power tariff to cover the mounting cash losses of the power distribution utility the UP Power Corporation Ltd.

She also announced a series of measures to curb the losses and increase availability of power in the next few years by adding additional capacity of 10,000 Mw of power in the state by 2011.

"I have inherited the critical power situation from the previous government and it is not possible to change it overnight, for that I offer my apologies to the people,'' she said, adding, "But I can assure you that my government is determined to provide relief to the masses within a reasonable time period."

"The demand for power has shot up to 8,500 Mw while the availability from all the sources was only 6,500 Mw, thus forcing the power distribution utilities to resort to power cuts,'' she added.

"The financial situation of the UP Power Corporation was also grim as the total accumulated losses were over Rs 5,500 crore,'' she said.

" We have to fill the gap between the rate of power purchased by the government and the cost realised from the consumers," Mayawati said adding that the loss of the UPPCL had reached an alarming Rs 5,500 crore till the end of 2006-07, and in the last three years there had been no increase in power tariffs despite increase in fuel cost.

Mayawati said the government had fixed a target of adding additional capacity of 1,200 Mw in the next one year and another 1,500 Mw by 2009.

The state government intends to generate additional 10,000 Mw by 2011 so that it can meet the spurt in demand.