Are power outages here to stay forever?

Team Herald

PANJIM: When the 33 KV Porvorim electricity line was damaged on Friday evening near the Tar Bridge in Bastora, the locals were in for yet another power outage as there were load restrictions in the area due to the damaged cable. However, this was not just a one off incident for the residents or businesses located in the surrounding areas as power outages have been too frequent.

The situation is far worse in neighbouring Mapusa, which was one of the last areas to have its power restored after the Cyclone Tauktae wrecked damage earlier this year.

Here as well, the locals are irked with the irregular power supply and pointed out that it has rained during the whole year of 2021 as they had to deal with no electricity for long periods.

“Despite assurances and promises on what can be done, Mapshekars do not have reliable power supply. This affects people from various backgrounds but the students in particular have been troubled as they have online classes and exams too and power outages have caused major disruptions,” complained Shilpa Narvekar, a housewife from Mapusa.

It’s not just the domestic consumers the business community too has been affected. Further up in North Goa, in the coastal beach belt that has witnessed a surge in domestic tourists arrivals, the hospitality industry has to ensure that there is 24×7 power supply despite the frequent outages.

A hotelier from Calangute, on the condition of anonymity said they are spending a lot of money on backup generators and with fuel costs rising, he has shelled out lakhs of rupees on diesel generators.

Elsewhere, in the Southern coastal belt, organisers of sport-related activities complained of having to pay for backup generators to ensure their games are not disrupted.

In Ponda, locals were forced to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights in darkness due to major outages. While the Power department had rushed to the site to try and restore power supply, residents were upset with the turn of events.

Further down South, locals opine that because they are not closer to towns like Margao, step motherly treatment is given to them when it comes to power related issues.

Govind Velip from Sanvordem said the issue of poor power supply is compounded with the poor internet and cellular connectivity.

There have been similar woes faced by people from other parts of the State too.  

In Pernem, locals say they have water supply issues and use their pumps at home to fill their tanks and power outages cause problems here as well. While the Power Department officials and minister have spoken about underground cabling as an immediate solution, they have also admitted that the power consumption in the State is growing and that a more long lasting solution is augmenting the existing power supply infrastructure.

According to Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, who had released a white paper on the status of the purchase and electricity consumption in the State, the year-wise increase in power consumption by domestic consumers and industries is alarming and will reach its peak soon if no action is taken and the State would have to suffer in the bargain. It is his contention that Goa has to increase its power supplying capacity.

As per the data prepared by the Central Electrical Authority under the Union Ministry of Power, Goa’s average power requirement has surpassed the national average. That report states that not only is the State’s average power requirement increasing by 6 per cent, the State has also witnessed an 80 per cent rise in domestic power consumption in the last decade. In that same time span, the industrial consumption has increased by 95% and commercial has been 59%.

Chief Electrical Engineer Raghuvir Keni said if Goa has to meet its rising demand for electricity, it needs to ensure it has adequate infrastructure that can cater to the demands for continuous supply of power and that the present feed is inadequate in that regard.