*24×7 power supply to domestic, uninterrupted 8 hrs daily supply for farmers will be ensured during paddy season: Harbhajan Singh ETO*

*PSPCL in position to meet 14150 MW of demand, shall be able to meet 15350 MW demand*

*No crop fire incidents due to electric spark, reported this year*

*Power Minister reviews power arrangements for paddy season*

Chandigarh, June 14

Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on Wednesday said that the adequate power arrangements have been made to ensure 24×7 power supply to the people of the state during summers and uninterrupted 8 hours daily supply to the farmers during this paddy season. He said that the PSPCL is in position to meet 14150 MW of demand and it shall be able to meet 15350 MW demand by utilising remaining 1200 MW transmission capacity.

Divulging further, the Power Minister said that the import capacity (ATC limit) of Punjab from outside Punjab has been enhanced to 8800 MW which is likely to be enhanced in a day or two to 9000 MW. . “With around 6400 MW generation within state and 4800 MW share of state in centre sector and BBMB plants and 2950 MW of short term arrangements i.e 7750 MW of arrangements from outside state on short term basis PSPCL is in position to meet 14150 MW of demand”, said Harbhajan Singh ETO while adding that utilizing the remaining 1200 MW transmission capacity PSPCL shall be able to meet 15350 MW demand. He said that the remaining transmission capacity will be booked by procuring power from open market through exchanges on real time demand availability gap basis, if required.

Elaborating about the infrastructure upgradation works completed after the Paddy season 2022 to ensure uninterrupted power supply, the Power Minister listed addition of 11 new 66 kV Grid Substations, augmentation/Addition of new 52 Power Transformers at existing 66 kV Grid Substations, erection of 378 km 66 kV transmission line, addition of 352 new 11 kV feeders, addition of 27,047 Distribution Transformers, deloading of 1367 feeders of 11 kV, and augmentation of 43,628 Agricultural Distribution Transformers under VDS Scheme. He said that the DT Damage rate has been also controlled at 4.56%.

Adding Further, he said that recently a series of heavy storms hit various areas of Punjab causing severe damage to the power transmission & distribution infrastructure of the state. “Storms resulted in damage of around 8150 Poles, 1839 Transformers and around 73 Km of conductor, with total financial loss assessed at around 16.5 Crores”, said Harbhajan Singh ETO while adding that the PSPCL was able to restore power supply affected due to storm within minimum possible time with the continuous monitoring, systematic patrolling of feeders and clearing of lines.

Meanwhile, the Power Minister chaired a review meeting to review the power supply arrangements for the paddy season. The Power Minister directed the PSPCL to ensure that there are no power cuts during the summer season. During the meeting the senior officials of the PSPCL and PSTCL apprised the Power Minister that they were fully prepared to meet the increasing power demand in this summer. They said that measures like arranging Mobile Transformers at urban centers, material Stores at Division level and Grid Substations, and deploying adequate Complaint Handling manpower have been taken besides setting up of 104 Nodal Complaint Centers at division level, Control rooms at 21 circles, 5 zones, and a control room at head office for resolution of grievances.

The PSPCL officials informed that the stock position & supplies of Distribution Transformers, Cables/ PVCs, Conductor, Poles and other accessories is sufficient to meet up the requirement during Paddy season. They further informed that extensive maintenance of the power distribution system including Distribution transformers & power lines has been carried out. As a result of this preventive maintenance, there were no crop fire incidents due to electric spark, reported this year in Punjab, they added.

Prominent amongst others Principal Secretary Power Tejveer Singh, CMD PSPCL Baldev Singh Sran, Director Distribution PSPCL DPS Grewal, Director Generation PSPCL Paramjit Singh, and Director Technical PSTCL Vardeep Singh Mander were present in the meeting.