No serious problem of load shedding in Delhi: Minister

New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) The Government does not anticipate any serious problem of load shedding in Delhi this year and the shortage in the coming months would primarily depend on temperature and intensity of monsoon.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said during April 2006 to February 2007 the peak shortage in the national capital was 6.6 per cent.

While during March 2007 there was no peak shortage, in April 2007 marginal shortage of 0.5 per cent was recorded, he said.

He said in pursuance of the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, power procurement in Delhi is undertaken by three distribution companies -- BSES Yamuna Power Ltd (BYPL), BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and New Delhi Power Ltd (NDPL) -- besides Government entities NDMC and Military Engineering Services.

Electricity being a concurrent subject, its supply and distribution in a state is in purview of the state governments concerned and the Centre only supplements the efforts of the state government, Mr Shinde said.

''Arrangements have also been made by power utilities of Delhi to arrange power from states through bilateral tie-up. Besides this un-requisitioned surplus capacity of other states in Gas-based power plants on liquid fuel is also envisaged to be requisitioned by Delhi,'' he added.

UNI