TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The searing April heat with high humidity levels, has been made even more unbearable, with acute power cuts due to ‘scheduled’ load-shedding and pre-monsoon maintenance works.
This rupturing of power supply normally stretches for over a couple of hours. Added to this is the undeniable fact that the quality of power is not very good and denizens have to cope with erratic power supply at regular intervals.
In addition, for the past few days, the state was faced with a power shortage of almost 110 MW due to the sudden closure of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Korba power plant. Incidentally, Reliance that supplies 17 MW to the government, was buying the power from the Central Grid and selling it to the government at a higher rate.
The NTPC Korba plant used to supply over 50 MW of power.
Reliance is operating at 60% load factor – max capacity 48 – generates 29 MW of which the state buys 17 MW.
While the state was struggling to sort out this power problem, state Power Minister Milind Naik, busy campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls in Amethi, claimed to be unaware of the situation.
“I have no idea…I am out of station…campaigning,” he commented.
The power requirement of Goa is around 520 MW, of which 400 MW is being procured from the Central Grid. The soaring mercury has increased the demand by an additional 30 MW during peak hours –6 pm to 11 pm.
Speaking to Herald Power Secretary R K Srivastava claimed that the power situation in the state is under control as government has purchased power from the Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (VVNL) and Tata Power.
“There was a shortage for last couple of days but now the situation is under control,” he said.
