BANGALORE: Even as Bangaloreans have been spared load-shedding while the rest of the state faces it, industries will have to bear the brunt with six-hour power cuts from Friday. They have been scheduled as three-hour power cuts in morning and evening each this month. The situation will normalize by this month-end.
The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has issued notices to its industrial consumers in Bangalore city and all towns of the eight districts under its jurisdiction, detailing supply hours and scheduled cuts.
The decision was taken owing to the shortage of 1500MW of generation and supply to the utility. The idea is to ensure continuous power to domestic and rural consumers between 6 am and 9 am and 6 pm and 9 pm which are their major activity hours. The measure will help rural people use irrigation pump sets and lighting. Industries consuming over 500 MW will get electricity for lighting during evening hours. They have been requested to reduce their consumption by 50%.
The decision was made after consultation with industry associations, which have agreed to the power-cut schedule. The move was necessitated by maintenance of two units of Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) which will continue till November. Maintenance of these units is generally taken up between August and November by the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL).
BESCOM also attributed the power cuts to low rainfall affecting the hydel power plants. The utility also relies on wind energy from which it generates not more than 200MW at present.
Source: TOI
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