Partner Channels: Bill Pay | Health | IT Education | Jobs | Technology | Travel
July 9, 2001
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Channels: Astrology | Broadband | Contests | E-cards | Money | Movies | Romance | Search | Wedding | Women Partner Channels: Bill Pay | Health | IT Education | Jobs | Technology | Travel |
||
|
|
||
|
Home >
Money > Business Headlines > Report July 9, 2001 |
Feedback
|
|
|
MSEB says it can't do without DPC powerRenni Abraham Maharashtra faces load-shedding and blackouts after the monsoons end unless the ongoing talks to resolve the Dabhol Power Company tariff imbroglio are successful. A senior Maharashtra State Electricity Board official acknowledged that the state could not afford to do without power from the first phase of the DPC project. Speaking to Business Standard he said, "At the moment, things are comfortably placed as far as the state's energy requirements are concerned. But once the monsoon season is over, we'll start experiencing an acute shortfall of around 1,200 mw in the evening peak period and a shortfall of around 500 mw during the rest of the day... unless power from the first phase of DPC is restored." This would effectively translate into three-hour blackouts becoming the norm in most of rural Maharashtra, as was the case in August-September last year. The official said, "With the onset of the monsoon, owing to multiple factors we are now benefiting from an additional availability of around 1,200 mw. During the season, pumpsets of most farmers are switched off. This gives us an additional 600 mw. Similarly, a decrease in temperatures across the state means that another 200-300 mw of electricity is saved with people reducing the use of ACs and fans. In addition, the disconnection drive launched by MSEB chairman Vinay Bansal has resulted in a further 300 mw of power being available with the board." Since Bansal took charge, he has stringently pursued an energy audit policy and cracked down on consumers who don't pay their bills. As a result, the number of connections disconnected have shot up from the earlier 5,000 a day to more than 20,000 disconnections daily. Bansal wrote to senior officials who monitor the supply of power from individual substations and warned them that strict action would be taken if the substations under them were unable to ensure bill collections to the extent of the energy supplied from the main grid. This resulted in the officials getting their act together, ensuring that the connections of those who defaulted on electricity bills were cut off. Powered by YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ:
|
||||
