CHANDIGARH: Farmers across Punjab continue to protest against the short supply for agricultural feeders as Punjab has been maintaining a power supply between 11956 MW to 12695 MW after restricting the power supply to rural consumers, agriculture pump sets and unannounced cuts in cities.
Today there have been reports of gherao of PSPCL officials at Badal, Talwandi Bhai, Kotkapura, Kanjhla and. Haryana. The farmers have cut the other feeders at some places and disconnected the office supply where officers are gheraoed. The power demand in Punjab touched 14225 MW while the state supplied a maximum of 12695 MW. There is a gap of about 1550 MW between demand and supply as per the NRLDC daily report. The power shortage during evening peak hours is 725 MW with a supply of 12373 MW.
On Tuesday the PSPSL supplied 2963 lakh units in the state and there were at least 133 lakh units of power shortage supply.
The thermal generation in the state was 990 lakh units comprising 327 lakh units by state sector thermal plants and 662 lakh units by the private sector. One unit of Talwandi Sabo is under breakdown and the second is supplying half-load due to a technical problem. One unit of Ropar is under breakdown.
Hydropower supply in the state is 223 lakh units and Bhakra units supplied about 75 lakh units to Punjab.
Punjab can import a maximum of 7300 MW from the northern grid. Punjab has its own generation of about 5500 MW from all sources including solar during day time. This implies under present circumstances it can supply around 12700 MW. On Tuesday afternoon supplied touched 13000 MW for a short period but at times it was overdrawing 600 MW from the grid.
The working of PSPCL during paddy season is a story of shortage of material, and men coupled with its mismanagement. Due to improper planning, neither sufficient manpower was arranged, nor sufficient material has been procured, and now the claims of management regarding adequate power, availability stand exposed by the recurring power cuts being imposed and insufficient power supply to agriculture consumers.