DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on Saturday said that the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) has met an all-time high demand of 16,078 MW on June 19, surpassing last year's maximum demand of 15,325 MW.

He said no cuts have been imposed on any category, besides providing an eight-hour daily uninterrupted power supply to agricultural feeders for the sowing of paddy crop throughout the state.

The minister said there are 13,340 feeders of 11 KV, out of which 6,954 feeders provide agricultural supply to around 14 lakh tubewell connections.

He said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has taken several measures, including adequate power availability arrangements and infrastructure upgradation works, to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Meanwhile, at a meeting, the Power Minister assessed the state's power supply arrangements for the ongoing paddy season.

PSPCL officials apprised the Power Minister that several measures have been taken to meet the increasing power demand in this summer, including setting up Mobile Transformers at urban centres, material Stores at Division level and Grid Substations, 104 Nodal Complaint Centers at division level, Control rooms at 21 circles, setting up 5 zones besides head office control room for resolution of grievances and deploying adequate complaint handling manpower.

Further, it was informed by the PSPCL that the stock position & supplies of Distribution Transformers, Cables/PVCs, Conductors, Poles and other accessories are sufficient to meet up the requirements during Paddy season. PSPCL also informed that extensive maintenance of the power distribution system including Distribution transformers & power lines, has been carried out before the paddy season. As a result of this preventive maintenance, there were no crop fire incidents due to electric spark, reported this year in Punjab.

The Power Minister directed the PSPCL to ensure that there are no power cuts during the summer season.

The meeting was concluded with the Power Minister expressing satisfaction with the preparations made by the Power companies. He said that the government is confident that the people of Punjab will get an uninterrupted power supply during the summer season.
(editor@dailyworld.in)