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‘Power crisis in State is managable’

The government will take measures to save electricity and stop the loss of electricity during transmission. Initiatives will be taken to produce additional power using modern technology, said Power Minister Shobha Karandlaje.

She was speaking after commissioning 33/11 KV sub-station at Savanoor in Puttur sub-division on Wednesday.

She said that several sub-stations are opened in the district in an attempt to provide quality power to the people of Dakshina Kannada.

A programme has been chalked out to supply electricity to all the houses in the district and the programme is under the process of implementation, she said.

“The district has received Rs 70.88 crore grant under Rajiv Gandhi Electricity Project. Various new projects will be taken up to improve electricity supply using the amount. The KPTCL has utilised Rs 10.50 crore during my tenure for setting up stations and laying lines. The voltage problem faced in Sullia too would be achieved,” she said.

Sullia MLA S Angara presided over the function. Zilla Panchayat President K T Shailaja Bhat, Taluk Panchayat President D Shambhu Bhat and others were present.

Power crisis managable

Earlier, speaking to media persons on sidelines of a programme in Mangalore on Wednesday, Shobha Karandlaje said that amidst the alarming power generation crisis in the State due to lack of rain and weak air currents, the State Energy Department is planning to cope-up with the situation this year, using 1500 MW extra power that is generated in newly commissioned power manufacturing units.

The government is hoping for the situation to be stabilised by December. “With the recently commissioned second unit of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd which contributes 600 MW and the last unit in Bellary which too will be commissioned this month end having the capacity to produce 500 MW and 400 MW generated from other new units, the State will get an additional power of about 1500 MW. We are hopeful of managing the situation to some extent using the additional power generated in these units,” she said.

The Minister said that buying electricity too has become a problem as there are no corridors to purchase. The government has called for tender to purchase 750 MW and 250 MW of power from Gujarath starting from December.

Restating that the State is undergoing a severe power crisis, Shobha said  the water-level in Linganamakki reservoir has reduced to 80 per cent now against 96 per cent water-level last year in the same period. While the condition of two other important reservoirs, Mani and Supa is worse, as the water-level in these two reservoirs has reached 56 and 60 per cent respectively.

“Along with the shortage of water to produce water energy, the wind energy too has received a blow this time. The weak air currents which are usually stronger from September to December, will drastically affect the wind energy produced in the State. Though we expected to produce 1300 MW of wind power every day, we have been able to produce only 100 to 200 MW per day during last one week.

The coal received from Odisha too is of poor quality due to rains in Odisha. All this has only increased the problem,” she said, adding that decision on power management will be taken after a few rounds of meetings in the coming days.