Kashmir’s power crisis reaches critical juncture, residents demand immediate relief
Kashmir’s ongoing power crisis has reached a critical juncture, with residents enduring increasingly prolonged power cuts, often lasting for up to 10-14 hours a day. Despite the government’s concerted efforts to bolster electricity supply, the region faces an alarming gap between the escalating demand and the available power.
This power deficit issue has rippled through Kashmir, significantly disrupting daily life for both households and commercial establishments while also affecting essential services. The relentless power cuts have left residents struggling to carry out their routine activities, with businesses finding it exceptionally challenging to operate smoothly.
Officials from the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) have acknowledged the gravity of the situation. They reveal that, despite various strategies to alleviate the crisis, the region continues to grapple with a significant power shortfall, estimated at approximately 500 MW.
This deficit is largely attributed to the surging peak load demand, which can soar to a staggering 1700 MW during the harsh winters. Unfortunately, the available power supply falls significantly short of this demand, hovering around 1100 MW, leaving a substantial and persistent gap that exacerbates the crisis.
Sources intimately connected to the situation underscore the enormity of Kashmir’s power deficit, with residents directly feeling the consequences of this power shortfall. However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
Efforts are underway to provide much-needed relief to the region by boosting power supply, aimed at bridging the alarming gap between the skyrocketing power demand and the available supply. In an exclusive interview with Greater Kashmir, Principal Secretary of the Power Development Department (PDD), H Rajesh Prasad, addressed the pressing power crisis and sought to reassure the people of J&K that the situation is expected to improve significantly within two days.
Prasad emphasized that the government is fully aware of the situation and has taken proactive measures to tackle it head-on. He explained that the root cause of the crisis lies in the reduced discharge of rivers, which has consequently impacted the power generation capacity of hydropower projects.
Acknowledging the difficulties faced by the people of Kashmir, the government has initiated concrete steps to alleviate the situation. Urgent appeals were made to the Central government, resulting in a positive response. The Central government has approved the allocation of additional power supply, and it is expected to commence within the next two days. Necessary modalities are being finalized to ensure the seamless import of power supplies to J&K. Additionally, agreements have been reached with the government of Uttar Pradesh to purchase extra power.
Principal Secretary Prasad expressed his belief that the power situation in J&K would return to normal within the next two days. This much-needed relief is expected to ease the burden on residents who have been grappling with persistent power outages and voltage fluctuations, ultimately restoring a sense of normalcy to their daily lives.
