Power situation in UP grim, industries to suffer

Lucknow, Sep 6 (UNI) The extreme sultry weather conditions in entire Northern india causing undue pressure on the Northern Grid has forced Uttar Pradesh Government to deprive industries of power supply in the night with the electricty demand in the state reaching a new high.

Due to pressure on the Northern Grid, the overdrawal of power has been stopped thus creating a huge gap between demand and supply prompting authorities to go for unscheduled rostering in most parts of the State.

According to UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) sources, the night supply to industries has already been stopped in the state, whereas the power supply scenario in other segments also stands grim.

'' The power cut from 2200 hrs to 0600 hrs the next day is admittedly harsh on the industries but it is necessary for the availability of power in residential areas specially in view of Ramzan,'' the UPPCL sources told UNI here.

Almost the entire Uttar Pradesh, comprising of rural and urban areas have to go through frequent power cuts disrupting the normal life to a great extent.

The sources said despite the import of about 3,900 MW of electricty as per the state's quota from the central sector, the gap of more than 2,000 MW still exists which resulted into power rostering across the state.

There are places in the State which are getting just 12-15 hours of power supply, according to the reports reaching here at the state headquarters.

The power demand in the peak hours had reached 8,500 MW and the generation hardly crossing 2,500 MW, the gap remained much to the woes of the people of Uttar Pradesh, the sources admitted.

Meawnhile, the UPPCL has exempted 15 major cities of the state from load-shedding in the night time which would put further pressure on other towns and rural areas of the state. The major cities, most muslim-dominated have been exempted from night-time rostering with Ramzan month in view.

The major cities to get exemption from nocturnal load-shedding included state capital of Lucknow, which is already under exemption, Agra, Allahabad, Aligarh, Meerut, Moradabad, Bareilly, Kanpur, Varanasi, Bulandshahar, Azamagarh, Bahraich, Basti, Gonda and Mau.

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