Load-shedding hours in Karnataka may come down soon

Bescom is planning to reduce the duration of load-shedding in Bengaluru if power generation at Udupi Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) and Ballari Thermal Power Stations (BTPS) stabilises in coming days. Bescom Managing Director Pankaj Kumar Pande said the utility agency was closely monitoring power generation at UPCL and BTPS, which were restored recently. Thermal power stations take some time to stabilise and generate power to their full capacity. The duration of load-shedding will be rescheduled in Bengaluru once they are stabilised, he added. The UPCL and BTPS suffered outage recently, plunging the State into darkness. The Bescom recently resorted to four-hour scheduled load-shedding a day in Bengaluru. Citizens in the State capital are facing one-hour power cut in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and one hour in the evening. Other cities and towns have been witnessing power cut for more than six hours a day. The State had about 6,500 mega watt (MW) of power available against the requirement of 8,500 MW. Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) Managing Director Jawaid Akhtar said about 1,000 MW of power has been added to the State grid with the restoration of one unit each of UPCL (600 MW capacity) and BTPS (500 MW capacity). An UPCL unit has been completely restored, and it is currently generating 500 MW power. Another one will be restored in a few days. Same is the case with BTPS, which has two units with 500 MW capacity each, he added. Power purchase He said the power situation will considerably ease once both units of UPCL and BTPS are restored. The government has been making efforts to buy power Tamil Nadu. Besides, the Centre has been asked to give more power, over and above the State's quota, he added.   DHNS