Power crisis due to heat wave: Maharashtra removes 46,000 metal hooks, saves 500 MW electricity

Mumbai, Apr 29: The Maharashtra government has saved nearly 500 MW of power by doing away with 46,000 metal hooks used for stealing electricity.

"We have managed to remove 46,000 metal hooks, which were used to pilfer electricity from the MSEDCL's supply line. The drive started in mid-April and we have managed to save around 500 MW of electricity," an official from MSEDCL is quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The officials said that in one such case a man had used a 1,000-foot-long cable to pilfer electricity with the help of a metal hook. The power that is getting saved due to the drive is being routed to consumers who pay their bills regularly, and more electricity can be saved if the crackdown continues amid rising demand for power stoked by the severe heatwave, he said.

In view of the power crisis, at least 15 states in the country, including neighbouring Gujarat and Rajasthan, are facing load-shedding, while Maharashtra had briefly implemented it on April 20, 21 and 22.

Though there was no load-shedding from April 14 to 20, the rising demand has prompted officials to undertake micro-management of power supply, which includes removal of metal hooks used for stealing electricity, the official said.

However, the MSEDCL's managing director Vijay Singhal had earlier said that the power utility has signed purchase agreements with private players such as Adani Power and Tata Power to increase the supply in the state. PTI